CAPTAIN  M'CLELLAN'S  ENCOUNTER  WITH  A  PANTHER. 


p.  110. 


forge  Clinton 


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to 


UKFOKE   ANTIETAM. 


NEW    YORK: 

$.  $tt0art},  WO, 


GEORGE  BKINTON  McCiELLAir, 


FROM 


CADET  TO  MAJOR-GENERAL 


A    BIOGRAPHY. 


Bj    MAKKIISIFIELD    ADDEY. 


NEW  YORK: 
JAMES   G.  GREGORY,  540,  BROADWAY. 


MDCCCLXIV. 


.  \ 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  13C4, 
BY  JAMES  G.  GEEGOEY, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States,  for  tho 
Southern  District  of  New  York. 


C.    A.    ALVOBD,    BTF.REOTYPKK   AND    PRINTKR. 


Bancroft  Ubrwy 


PEEFAOE. 


THE  author  of  this  Biography  of  one  of  the  most  popular  mil- 
itary commanders  in  the  present  century,  is  indebted  for  part  of 
the  information  it  contains  to  sources  heretofore  inaccessible. 
Knowledge  concerning  its  subject  has  been  obtained  from  those 
who  played  with  him  in  boyhood;  studied  with  him  at  West 
Point;  travelled  with  him  in  the  previously  unexplored  Indian 
Territory,  among  the  mountain  passes  on  the  Pacific  coast,  and 
through  the  Kingdoms  and  Empires  of  the  Old  "World ;  and  from 
officers  who  fought  by  his  side  on  the  blood-stained  fields  of 
Virginia  and  Maryland,  and  were  his  faithful  messengers  amid 
the  battle's  din.  A  degree  of  accuracy  has  thus  been  secured 
which,  it  is  believed,  will  be  found  not  the  least  merit  of  this 
volume. 

In  describing  the  character  of  General  McClellan,  the  author 
has  preferred  introducing  the  opinions  of  others  to  giving  his 
own — especially  in  reference  to  his  abilities  as  a  commander.  It 
is  an  admitted  fact,  that.any  praise  bestowed  upon  a  man  by  an 
enemy  is  certain  to  be  candid.  With  this  view  he  has  quoted 
freely  from  those  journals,  which  now,  for  political  reasons,  seek 
to  depreciate  the  acts  they  formerly  extolled,  either  editorially,  or 
through  the  medium  of  their  authorized  correspondents  at  the 
seat  of  war.  These  opinions  he  is  glad  to  reproduce  to  the 
public,  so  that  it  may  judge  what  little  reliance  can  be  placed 
upon  the  current  tirades  of  a  partisan  press. 

It  is  a  common  practice  of  many  of  McClellan's  political  assail- 
ants in  the  North  to  insidiously  ask,  "  How  is  it  that  the  South- 
ern leaders  always  speak  well  of  him?"  The  answer  is  easily 
given,  in  the  words  of  a  foreign  officer  in  the  Confederate  service, 


4  PREFACE. 

whoso  impressions  we  have  had  occasion  to  cite  in  these  pages. 
It  is  because  "his  military  qualities  command  the  respect  of  his 
opponents  /"  A  soldier  who  acts  strictly  in  accordance  with  the 
well-defined  customs  of  civilized  warfare,  is  certain  to  win  the 
esteem  of  Bis  adversary.  As  well  might  it  be  asked  in  the 
South :  "  How  is  it  that  the  Northern  people  never  abuse  Lee, 
or  speak  contemptuously  of  '  Stonewall'  Jackson  ?" 

It  was  a  favorite  maxim  with  Napoleon  that,  "  In  war,  the 
moral  is  to  the  physical  power  as  three  parts  to  one."  That  the 
great  lever,  the  moral  power,  was  withdrawn  from  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  when  McClellan  was  relieved  from  command,  is  evi- 
dent. Fredericksburg  and  Chancellorsville  attest  this.  The  Hon. 
I.  W.  Coe,  one  of  the  Republican  Committee  sent  by  the  Legisla- 
ture of  Connecticut,  after  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg,  to  care 
for  the  dead  and  wounded  soldiers  of  that  State,  then  wrote  :  "I 
have  found  but  one  opinion  in  the  army  about  the  merits  of  gen- 
erals. The  army,  almost  to  a  man,  are  for  McClellan,  and  if  you 
expect  the  army  to  conquer  peace,  you  have  got  to  give  them  a 
choice."  If  there  is  any  virtue  in  Napoleon's  maxim,  can  there 
be  a  doubt  but  that  if  any  man  in  the  United  States  holds  the 
key  to  military  success,  it  is  General  McClellan  ? 

"While  this  work  was  passing  through  the  press,  the  original 
intent  was  somewhat  changed.  At  first  it  was  more  especially 
designed  for  younger  readers,  which  will  account  for  the  intro- 
duction of  episodes  connected  with  McClellan's  experiences  of 
frontier  life ;  these,  however,  are  so  interesting  that  the  general 
reader  will  not  regret  their  presence. 

NEW  YORK,  October  1st,  1864. 


CONTENTS. 


INTRODUCTORY  CHAPTER 11 

I.  BOYHOOD  AND  CADET  LIFE   19 

Ancestry— A  chivalric  family— McClellan's  grandfather— 
His  parentage— Birth  and  education— Passion  for  reading 
—The  disregarded  supper— Choice  of  a  profession— Nomi- 
nated to  the  Military  Academy-^Preliminary  examination 
— Distinguished  classmates — Military  instruction — Annual 
encampment  —  Academic  instruction  —  "  Mac  "  and  his 
u  chum  " — Paying  dearly  for  his  whistle — Studies  pursued 
—The  conduct-roll— McClellan's  rank  in  his  class,  and 
position  on  the  conduct-roll — His  name  attached  to  the 
Army  Kegister. 

II.  FIRST  EXPERIENCES  IN  THE  FIELD 31 

Aspirations  of  the  West  Point  Cadets — Eeasons  which 
led  to  the  War  with  Mexico— McClellan's  First  Commis- 
sion—Off to  the  War— The  First  Victory— On  the  March— 
Tampico — Scott  in  command — McClellan  transferred  to  the 
Army  of  Invasion — Siege  of  Vera  Cruz — Hard  work — Subli- 
mity of  the  Bombardment — The  road  to  the  Interior — The 
heights  of  Cerro  Gordo — Their  capture — First  meeting  of 
Scott  and  McClellan — Advance  to  Puebla — McClellan  in  the 
Van— Halt  of  the  Army— Illustration  of  McClellan's  pluck 
— Overtures  of  Peace. 

III.  UPON  THE  PATH  OF  GLORY 52 

On  the  march  again — Obstacles  to  overcome — A  parallel 
with  the  past — The  Valley  of  Mexico — The  army  approaches 
the  capital — McClellan's  company  constructs  a  new  road — 
Base  of  operations — McClellan  fired  upon  by  the  enemy,  and 
loses  his  horse— He  opens  the  battle— Takes  charge  of  the 
howitzers — Gallant  assault  of  Contreras — McClellan  makes 
a  reconnoissance — The  battle  of  Churubusco  —  McClellan 
promoted  for  his  brave?y. 

IT.  HONORS  WON 68 

Armistice— Perfidy  of  the  Mexicans— The  heights  of  Cha- 


CONTENTS. 

:APTEK  PAGE 

pultepec  described— Grandeur  of  the  scene— El  Molino  del 
Key  and  La  Casa  Mata— The  enemy  deceived— Capture  of 
Chapultepec — The  final  struggle  for  the  city — Fierce  en- 
counters— McClellan's  daring — fighting  on  the  house-tops 
— McClellan  the  first  to  penetrate  the  heart  of  the  city- 
Surrender  of  the  capital— Mexico  Americanized— Honors 
won, by  our  hero— Former  friends,  now  foes. 

V.  ROUGHING  IT  ON  THE  RED  RIFER 83 

Valorous  deeds  Inscribed  on  the  roll  of  honor — McClellan 
leaves  Mexico — Becomes  professor  and  author — Ordered  to 
explore  the  sources  of  the  Eed  River — His  companions — 
The  start— Arrival  at  the  Red  River— Panther  hunt— Rush 
of  water — Favorable  omen — Visit  from  the  Witchitas — 
McClellan  traces  the  hundredth  degree  of  west  longitude — 
The  Witchita  Mountains  —  Gold  discovered  — McClellan 
names  "Mount  Webster" — Comanche  trail — How  Indians 
travel — Boldness  of  the  Delaware  guides — Buffalo  chase — 
Wolves  and  Ravens  making  merry — McClellan  searches  for 
the  Comanches — Mode  of  encampment — A  few  words  about 
beavers — Head  of  the  river  discovered — Bottle  buried — Ex- 
cursion to  the  Canadian  River. 

VI.  PRAIRIE-DOG-TOWN'  RIVER  EXPLORED 102 

Southward  bound — "McClellan's  Creek"  —  Remarkable 
mirage — Source  of  the  Salt  Fork — Indian  battle-ground — 
Prairie- Dog-Town  —  Immense  population — Domestic  ar- 
rangements of  the  animals — A  surprise  —  McClelland  en- 
counter with  a  panther — Deer-bleat  —  Nauseous  water — 
Extreme  thirst — Sickness— Value  of  iced  drinks — Head  of 
the  river  —  Magnificent  scenery  —  Bears — Panther  shot — 
Homeward  journey — Catching  a  Tartar — "Mount  Scott" — 
Romantic  valley — Deserted  Indian  villages — Beauty  of 
their  position — Waco  and  Witchita  villages — False  rumors 
of  the  massacre  of  McClellan  and  his  companions—Bargain- 
ing for  a  prisoner— Arrival  at  Fort  Arbuckle  — Return 
home-— McClellan's  services  warmly  acknowledged. 

VII.  COAST  SURVEY  OF  TEXAS 127 

Proceeds  to  Texas — Brazos  revisited  —  Recollections  of 
the  past— Galveston— The  Pirate  Lafitte— Indianola— Re- 
semblance to  a  European  city— Corpus  Christi— General 
Taylor's  old  camping-ground — Beauty  of  the  country — San 
Antonio — Its  mixed  population — Heroic  defence  of  Travis. 
—Variety  of  buildings  — A  gushing  spring  —  Luxurious 
bathing— An  ungrateful  protege— Summoned  to  Washing- 
ton. 


CONTENTS.  7 

CHAPTER  PAQK 

VIII.  PIONEER  WORK  IN  THE  NORTHWEST 133 

The  Golden  State— Difficulties  in  reaching  it— Pacific 
railroad  explorations — McClellan  in  charge  of  the  North- 
western Survey — His  orders — Arrives  on  the  Pacific  coast — 
His  command — The  expedition  in  motion  —  The  Cascade 
range  —  The  summit  reached  —  Halt  at  Chequoss — Magni- 
ficent Alpine  scene — Curious  lake — Subterranean  passage 
—The  mouse-wife— The  Blip  Tilicum— The  man  with  two 
wives — Giants  and  dwarfs — Indians  met  by  the  way — The 
Tahk  prairie  and  the  story  of  its  creation — Atahnam  Mis- 
sion— Depot-camp  at  Wenass — Detached  expeditions — Re- 
moval of  the  camp  to  Ketetas— Gold  discovered— Takima 
village— Indian  fortifications. 

IX.  PIONEER  WORK  IN  THE  NORTHWEST — CONTINUED  .  152 

The  journey  resumed — Magnificent  panoramic  scene — 
Two  wicked  women,  and  what  became  of  them— Indian 
sculpture— Valley  of  the  Columbia— Forts  Okinakane  and 
Colville — Arrival  of  Governor  Stevens — Jesuit*  mission — 
Strange  Indian  conceptions  —  Snow  storm  —  Chemakane 
mission — The  great  plain — Never-freezing  lake — Whitman's 
mission  —  "Wallah- Wallah  —  Close  of  the  expedition  — 
McClellan  sent  on  a  new  exploration  —  Insurmountable 
difficulties — Great  depth  of  snow — Intense  cold — Harbor 
surveys— Official  appreciation  of  McClellau's  abilities. 

X.  INTERVIEWS  WITH  THE  INDIANS 167 

Importance  of  Indian  friendship — The  Klikatats — Indian 
Yankees — A  cherished  calendar — The  Yakimas  and  their 
chiefs— False  reports— A  "talk"  with  Skloo— Council  with 
Kam-ai-ya-kan  — Ow-hai  and  his  band — Elegance  of  Indian 
dress— The  Pisquonses— An  aspirant  for  regal  honors- 
Election  of  a  chief— Indian  horse-racfc  —Disposal  of  the 
dead — Curious  genealogical  tree — Garry,  the  Spokane  chief 
— An  Indian  welcome — Indian  religious  worship — Garry's 
hospitality — McClellan  punishes  his  proposed  assassin — Pu- 
pu-mux-mux,  and  how  he  defied  the  Cayuses — Interesting 
relic. 

XL  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES 185 

Victories  of  peace — Scientific  operations  of  Army  officers 
—Secret  expedition  to  the  West  Indies—Its  object— Selec- 
tion of  a  harbor— Description  of  the  place  chosen— Corrobo- 
rative opinion— Historic  associations— Visit  of  Columbus- 
First  encounter  with  the  Indians  in  America  —  Jack 
Banister  and  his  bold  buccaneers — Inquiry  into  the  Ameri- 
can railway  system — McCldlan's  report  thereon. 


8  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTEB  PAGE 

XII.  ON  DUTY  IN  EUROPE 195 

The  Crimean  campaign — Improvements  in  the  art  of  war 
— Military  Commission — Instructions  —  McClelland  corre- 
spondence—Start from  Boston— Cordial  reception  iu  Lon- 
don and  cool  treatment  in  Paris— Disappointment— Arrival 
in  Berlin — Prussian  politeness — Warsaw — Obstacles  in  the 
way— St.  Petersburg — Presented  to  the  Czar — Military  re- 
view— Second  disappointment — Eeturn  to  Prussia  —  Pro- 
ceed to  the  East — Constantinople — Balaklava — More  Eng- 
lish courtesy  and  French  coolness — The  theatre  of  war — 
Reception  in  Austria— Italian  cities— South  of  France- 
Tour  of  the  Khine— Belgium— In  France  again— Eeturn  to 
London — Visits  of  inspection — Home. 

XIII.  AMONG  RAILROADS 219 

Advantages  of  Foreign  Travel— McClellan's  knowledge  of 
languages — His  report — Its  contents — Eeports  of  the  other 
Commissioners — McClellan  resigns  his  Commission  in  the 
Array — Becomes  Chief-Engineer  and  Yice-President  of  the 
Illinois  Central  Eailroad  —  Progress  of  the  Company — 
McClellan's  man-iage — General  Superintendent  and*Presi- 
dent  of  Ohio  and  Mississippi  Eailroad— The  War— Besigns 
his  offices. 

XI Y.  VICTORIES  IN  WESTERN  VIRGINIA. 227 

Cause  of  the  Eebellion — Sumter  attacked — Call  to  arms — 
The  Ohio  contingent — McClellan  appointed  Major-General 
— Department  of  the  Ohio  —  The  S  tates  unprepared  for 
war— Loyalty  of  Western  Virginia— McClellan's  proclama- 
tion to  the  people  and  address  to  his  soldiers — Eebel  camp 
at  Phillippi  dispersed — Perilous  feat  of  Colonel  Lander — 
McClellan  takes  command  in  person — Patriotic  and  spirited - 
address — Forward  movement — Eich  Mountain — Surrender 
of  Pegram — Morris's  Division — Laurel  Hill — Eetreat  of 
Garnett— Federal  Pursuit  —  Difficulties  and  encounters— 
Carrick's  Ford— Death  of  Garnett— The  brave  Georgian— A 
Massachusetts  rebel — The  preacher's  prayer — A  hard  day's 
work— Western  Virginia  cleared  of  the  rebels— McClellan 
thanked  by  Legislature  and  Congress  —  Tributes  to  his 
Military  Genius. 

XV.  ORGANIZING  AN  ARMY 253 

The  disaster  at  Bull  Eun— Who  is  to  blame  ?— McClellan 
placed  in  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  — Is 
honored  by  his  native  city — Arrival  in  Washington — Com- 
mences work  in  earnest — Opinions  of  McClellan,  North  and 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER 

South— Political  interferences— Order  restored— Stringent 
discipline  —  Increased  command — Observance  of  the  Sab- 
bath—Speech to  the  Soldiers— Picket  firing— Unheeded  ad- 
vice—Munson's  Hill— Disaster  at  Ball's  Bluff— Scott  re- 
tires— McClellan  succeeds  him — The  Army  organized — In- 
terference with  McClellan's  operations — Council  of  Gene- 
rals— McClellan's  plan  approved  —  Manassas  evacuated — 
McClellan  relieved  from  chief  command  of  the  armies  of 
the  Union. 

XYI.  THE  PENINSULAR  CAMPAIGN 269 

Rival  plans — Operations  on  the  Potomac— Address  to  the 
troops — Forward  movement — Reduction  of  command — Be- 
fore Yorktown — The  place  evacuated  —  Williamsburg — 
McClellan  on  the  battle-field— The  rebels  continue  their  re- 
treat— McClellan  thanked  by  the  House  of  Representatives 
— •  Re-enforcements  required  —  McClellan's  prescience  — 
Hanover  Court-House  —  Fair  Oaks — McClellan's  daring — 
Second  day's  battle — Storm  before  the  conflict — Southern 
opinion — Address  to  the  troops. 

XVII.  THE  SEVEN  DAYS'  BATTLES 291 

The  si  ege— Stuart's  rai  6V- Necessity  for  re-enforcements 
— The  contending  armies — FIRST  DAY  ;  Oak  Grove — Nar- 
row escape  —  SECOND  DAY;  Beaver- Dam  Creek  — THIRD 
DAY;  Gaines's  Mill  —  Council  of  War  — FOURTH  DAY; 
Golding's  Farm — McClellan's  dispatch  to  the  Secretary  of 
War — The  crime  of  the  politicians— FIFTH  DAY;  Allen's 
Field  —  Savage's  Station  —  The  Confederates  deluded— 
SIXTH  DAY:  White-Oak-Swamp  Bridge  —  Glendale  — 
SEVENTH  DAY  ;  Malvern  Hill  —  Confederate  hopes  frus- 
trated—The lostes. 

XVIII.  EVACUATION  OP  THE  PENINSULA 311 

The  Confederates  foiled— Arrival  at  Harrison's  Landing- 
Unbounded  confidence  in  the  commander — His  consum- 
mate generalship — Presidential  palliatives  and  promises — 
Address  to  the  soldiers — McClellan  lays  his  views  before 
the  President  —  New  general-in-chief — Malvern.  Hill  re- 
taken— Orders  to  evacuate  the  Peninsula — McClellan's  pro- 
test— Uncourteous  treatment — The  return  march — Disap- 
pointment of  the  troops — The  deserted  encampment — Men 
of  straw — An  apparition — "Dan  Webster's''  parting  salute 
— A  kind  word  for  the  Army  solicited — Departure  from  the 
Peninsula. 


30  CONTENTS. 

OHAPTEB 

XIX.  ANTIETAM 332 

The  Army  of  Virginia  and  its  commander — A  new  phase 
in  military  science — The  saddle  a  base  of  operations — "  My 
Plan  "  put  into  operation — It  does  not  succeed — About  re- 
enforcements — A  commander  without  an  army — A  change 
— McClelland  assistance  required— A  constant  "  friend  "-- 
Favors  asked,  and  granted— In  command  again— A  wel- 
come return — In  Maryland — Triumphant  entry  into  Fred- 
erick— South  Mountain  —  Harper's  Ferry — Reconnoitring 
under  difficulties— Antietam— A  refractory  General— The 
losses— Flight  of  the  enemy. 

CONCLUDING  CHAPTER 347 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 

PAGE 

THE  BOY'S  PASSION  FOE  STUDY 22 

THE  LIEUTENANT  CAPTURES  A  MEXICAN 66 

THE  CAPTAIN'S  ENCOUNTER  WITH  A  PANTHER 110 

THE  CAPTAIN'S  AFFAIR  WITH  AN  INDIAN 182 

BEFORE  ANTIETAM  (on  Title) 343 

THE  GENERAL  AND  THE  STANDARD-BEARER.  .  .  350 


GEORGE  BRINTON  M°CLELLAN, 

FROM    CADET    TO 'M  AJOR-GENER  AL. 


INTRODUCTORY  CHAPTER. 

rjlHE  class  which  opened  in  the  Military  Academy 
-*-  at  West  Point  on  the  1st  of  .July,  1842,  comprised 
a  sturdy  youth,  the  junior  by  five  months  of  any  of  his 
fellows,  and  five  years  and  three  months  under  the 
age  of  the  eldest ;  and  who  then  wanted  five  months 
to  reach  the  age  nominally  prescribed  by  the  regu- 
lations of  the  establishment  for  the  admission  of 
cadets,  whilst  seven  months  had  barely  passed  over 
his  head  since  the  fifteenth  anniversary  of  his  birth. 

His  frame  was  well  knit,  hardy,  and  vigorous ;  he 
was  active,  and  capable  of  enduring  fatigue;  full  of 
fun  and  life,  but  never  allowing  his  jubilant  spirit  to 
overstep  the  recognized  limits  of  discretion ;  and 
withal  of  such  moderate  height,  that  when  he  com- 
menced the  manual  drill,  it  was  necessary  to  pro- 
vide him  with  a  fire-lock  lighter  than  those  placed 
in  the  hands  of  his  comrades. 

While  at  school  he  had  been  brilliant  and  quick  in 
mind,  and  had  displayed  such  a  taste  for  reading  and 


12  INTRODUCTORY    CHAPTER. 

thirst  for  knowledge,  that  his  friends  were  doubtless 
not  surprised  to  find  him  eventually  gain  a  highly 
creditable  position  in  the  classes  of  the  Academy. 
His  personal  qualities,  too,  were  as  commendable 
as  his  mental.  The  gentleness  of  his  manner  endear- 
ed him  to  all  .who  knew  him,  his  courage  won  their 
admiration,  and  his  singleness  of  heart  commanded 
their  respect. 

Such  was,  in  boyhood,  George  Brinton  McClellan, 
the  future  general-in-chief  of  the  military  forces 
of  the  United  States,  the  favorite  commander  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac. 

When  a  cadet  at  West  Point,  young  McClellan 
continued  the  safe  course  he  had  pursued  while  a 
school-boy  in  Philadelphia, — careful  preparation  of 
his  mind  by  solid  study, — a  course  which,  if  not  in- 
terrupted, is  certain  to  be  effective.  He  was  not 
interrupted,  and  all  worked  well.  In  later  life,  in 
another  sphere  of  action,  he  labored  to  carry  out  a 
like  system  of  thorough  preparation ;  but  having  had 
to  encounter  much  interference,  the  result  was  con- 
sequently different. 

We  are  informed  by  one  of  his  cotemporaries  in 
the  Military  Academy,  that  whilst  there  his  habits  of 
life  were  marked  by  those  traits  which  "  characterize 
an  earnest  student,"  and  "as  well  balanced  as  his 
subsequent  course  has  proved  his  life  to  be ;"  we 
learn  from  another  that  "he  was  conspicuous  for  his 
respectful  demeanor  and  rectitude  of  conduct,  always 


VALOR   ILLUSTRATED.  13 

displaying  proper  dignity  in  the  presence  of  his  com- 
panions;" while  a  third,  who  has  enjoyed  his  friend- 
ship through  life,  and  refers  more  particularly  to  the 
present  than  the  past,  speaks  of  the  "noble  qualities" 
of  the  man,  "  whom,"  he  says,  "  I  esteem  as  much 
as  any  man  can  esteem  another." 

A  valorous  spirit  and  an  innate  sense  of  honor  are 
essentials  in  a  military  officer.  Young  McClellan 
exhibited  these  in  an  early  stage  of  his  career,  and, 
as  the  acts  of  the  man  more  truly  illustrate  his 
character  than  any  remarks-  the  author  could  adduce, 
we  may  relate  a  couple  of  incidents  that  occurred 
when  he  had  just  entered  upon  active  military  life. 

In  later  chapters  we  shall  describe  the  stirring 
scenes  of  the  Mexican  campaign.  In  one  of  these  it 
will  be  found  that  young  McClellan,  during  the  at- 
tack upon  Contreras,  conducted  Magruder's  battery 
into  action,  and  in  the  absence  of  that  officer  directed 
the  operations  of  the  artillerymen.  We  will  tell  the 
story  in  the  words  in  which  Magruder  related  it,  be- 
fore the  rebellion,  to  a  friend,  omitting  only  the  pecu- 
liar phraseology  that  misguided  man  was  accustomed 
to  introduce  into  his  conversation:  "Sir,"  said  he, 
"  I  was  away  from  the  battery  at  the  time  the  action 
commenced;  when  I  returned  I  found  the  lighter 
guns  had  been  carried  to  an  almost  inaccessible  po- 
sition, and  were  then  blazing  away  at  the  enemy, 
who  had  directed  two-and-twenty  pieces  upon  our 
handful  of  men.  On  reaching  the  guns  I  discovered 


14  INTRODUCTORY    CHAPTER. 

a  young  fellow  hard  at  work,  handling  them  as  if  he 
had  been  accustomed  to  the  practice  all  his  life. 
4  What  officer  have  I  the  honor  of  addressing,'  I  ask- 
ed. 'Lieutenant  McClellan,  of  the  Engineers,'  he 
promptly  replied.  I  then  offered  him  my  hand  across 
one  of  the  guns;  he  grasped  it,  and  just  as  our 
hands,  were  clasped  together,  a  ball  came  and  un- 
shipped the  gun." 

Our  second  incident  refers  to  an  event  that  took 
place  a  year  later.  The  brevet  honors  for  distin- 
guished services  in  Mexico,  although  dating  from  the 
days  on  which  the  actions  that  called  them  forth  were 
fought,  were  not  awarded  until  after  the  close  of  the 
campaign,  and  the  return  of  the  army  to  the  United 
States.  McClellan  was,  at  the  time,  stationed  with  his 
company  at  West  Point.  General  Scott  interested 
himself  to  obtain  for  him  a  brevet  captaincy.  When 
McClellan  received  the  commission  he  put  it  in  his 
pocket,  and  asked  Lieutenant  G.  W.  Smith,  his  senior 
in  the  Engineer  Company,  if  he  had  heard  from  Wash- 
ington. Smith  replied  that  he  had  not.  McClellan 
repeated  the  question  for  two  or  three  successive 
days,  and  each  time  received  the  same  reply ;  Smith 
at  last  adding  :  "  Why  should  I  hear  from  Washing- 
ton ?"  McClellan  gave  no  reason,  but  quietly  re- 
turned his  commission  to  the  War  Department,  sta- 
ting that  he  must  decline  to  receive  it,  unless  Smith, 
who  deserved  the  honor  equally  with  himself,  was 
promoted  to  the  same  rank.  A  few  days  later,  the 


THE    COMMANDER.  15 

commission  was  returned  to  McClellan,  and  a  similar 
one  forwarded  to  Smith. 

McClellan  has  carried  with  him  into  manhood  the 
enviable  personal  qualities  that  distinguished  him 
whilst  a  youth  and  a  subaltern.  The  only  variance 
between  the  boy  of  yesterday  and  the  man  of  to- 
day, arises  from  these  characteristics  becoming  more 
deeply  rooted  by  time,  more  developed  by  experi- 
ence. An  officer,  who  accompanied  him  through 
the  greater  part  of  his  campaigns  in  the  present 
war,  tells  us  that  he  possessed  a  remarkable  in- 
fluence over  all  who  were  associated  with  him  ;  they 
could  not  help  but  love  him;  they  felt  that  when 
with  him  they  were  in  the  presence  of  one  who  had 
their  interests  at  heart.  TJn gentlemanly  acts  were 
never  seen,  improper  language  never  heard  in  his 
camp.  He  would  never  demand  from  his  officers 
duties  impossible  to  fulfil ;  and  labors  that  he  found 
exhausted  nature  rendered  them  incapable  of  per- 
forming, he  himself  willingly  undertook. 

On  the  night  the  army  reached  Harrison's  Land- 
ing, after  the  eventful  seven  days'  battles,  McClellan 
pointed  out  upon  his  map,  to  an  aide,  the  position  of 
a  mill  to  which  he  desired  him  to  take  a  brigade. 
The  officer  was  so  wearied  from  incessant  labor,  that 
he  found  it  difficult  to  concentrate  his  attention. 
Night  and  day  he  had  been  in  the  saddle,  and  more 
sleeping  than  waking  had  arrived  upon  the  banks  of 
the  James. 


16  INTRODUCTORY    CHAPTER. 

"  Do  you  think  you  can  find  it  ?"  was  the  inquiry. 

"  I  don't  think  I  can,  General,"  replied  the  officer. 

"  Did  you  not  see  it  as  you  passed?" 

"  I  really  did  not,  General,  for  I  was  too  worn  out 
to  see  any  thing." 

The  commander  again  pointed  out  the  spot  upon 
the  map,  but  the  officer  was  still  unable  to  rivet  his 
attention  upon  it.  McClellan  looked  in  his  face  and 
saw  he  was  overcome  by  fatigue.  He  used  no  hrrsh 
expressions,  as  many,  placed  in  a  similar  position, 
would  have  done,  but  mildly  remarked  : 

"  I  will  go  myself." 

"  No,  General,  you  shall  not,"  promptly  replied  the 
aide,  nerved  by  the  exhibition  of  kindness  display- 
ed. A  brother  officer  was  then  called  to  his  assist- 
ance, and,  between  the  two,  they  were  enabled  to  un- 
derstand the  General's  instructions,  and  carry  out 
his  desire. 

But  it  was  not  alone  to  the  officers  who  were  in 
close  attendance  upon  him,  that  McClellan  exhibited 
such  acts  of  kindness.  His  men  claimed  an  equal 
share  of  his  attention,  and  they  received  it.  Here  is 
an  instance.  During  the  retreat  from  the  vicinity  of 
Richmond,  a  person  who  had  rendered  most  valuable 
service  to  the  Union  cause,  and  who  had  been  the 
means  of  gathering  much  information  in  the  camp 
of  the  enemy,  was  present  with  the  troops.  Mc- 
Clellan, aware  of  this,  dispatched  an  aide  to  him,  with 
the  desire  that  he  would  resort  to  a  place  of  safety, 


AN   ACT    OP   KINDNESS.  1? 

as  in  the  event  of  capture,  in  consequence  of  his  be- 
ing a  marked  man,  he  would  be  hardly  dealt  with. 
Though  he  did  not  follow  the  advice  given,  he  nev- 
ertheless escaped  the  enemy's  clutches.  The  thought- 
fulness,  however,  which  dictated  the  advice,  was  not 
forgotten  by  him,  for,  two  years  afterwards,  meeting 
an  officer  of  the  General's  staff  in  Washington,  he 
expressed  his  gratitude  to  the  latter  for  the  act  of 
kindness  he  had  experienced.  Here  we  find  a  man 
weighed  down  with  anxiety  and  care  for  the  safety 
of  an  army  placed  in  a  perilous  position,  not  regard- 
less of  the  welfare  of  one  of  its  humble  member?, 
and  desirous  of  snatching  him  from  an  ignominious 
death,  to  which,  in  the  event  of  his  capture,  his  calling 
would  most  assuredly  have  consigned  him. 

Wherever  McClellan  went,  a  warm  feeling  was 
created  amongst  his  soldiers  that  often  found  expres- 
sion in  marks  of  enthusiasm.  A  cheerful  smile  lit  up 
their  faces  the  moment  they  saw  him ;  their  wearied 
frames  were  invigorated  with  renewed  strength;  and 
they  recognized  his  presence  as  an  omen  of  safety. 
"  There  goes  George  B.,  now  we  are  all  right,"  they 
would  say  to  one  another.  "  George  B.,"  was  a  pet 
name  of  the  soldiers  when  they  spoke  to  each  other 
of  their  commander. 

Officers  and  men  loved  him  alike,  but  neither  the 
one  nor  the  other  ever  attempted  to  approach  him 
with  familiarity,  or  scarcely  ever  spoke  to  him  un- 
less he  first  addressed  them.  He  commanded  not 


18  INTRODUCTORY    CHAPTER. 

only  their  love  but  their  respect.  If  a  soldier  could 
but  touch  his  horse,  he  felt  it  a  pleasure;  and  if, 
whilst  the  general  was  speaking  to  him,  he  could 
manage  to  stroke  the  horse's  neck,  he  was  an  object 
of  envy  to  his  comrades.  The  men  had  implicit  con- 
fidence in  whatever  he  said.  "  Well,  General,  if  you 
say  so,  it's  all  right,"  was  their  frequent  reply. 

"  Boys,  I  know  you're  tired,  but  keep  at  it  an  hour 
longer,  and  then  you  shall  have  your  coffee,"  Mc- 
Clellan  would  often  say  to  some  working  party,  or 
to  some  men  near  the  close  of  a  weary  march. 

"  Well,  General,  if  you  say  so,  it's  all  right." 
The  sick  and  the  wounded  ever  claimed  his 
especial  attention.  He  soothed  their  sufferings  with 
his  condolences,  and  spoke  to  them  so  affectionately 
that  they  felt  they  were  rather  in  the  presence  of  a 
kind  relative  than  in  that  of  a  military  leader. 

It  is  impossible  for  the  reader  to  study  the  story 
of  McClellan's  career  whilst  in  command  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  without  the  conviction  that  this  cen- 
tury has  produced  but  one  commander  who  so  effec- 
tually won  the  hearts  of  his  soldiers,  and  that  man  was 
the  Corsican  whom  the  people  of  France  named  the 
"Little  Corporal,"  and  in  course  of  time  placed  at 
the  head  of  their  Republic.  Perchance  the  compari- 
son between  the  "Little  Corporal,"  of  the  French 
army,  and  "Little  Mac,"  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
may  become  more  complete  than  it  is  at  present. 


CHAPTER   I. 

BOYHOOD -AND    CADET   LIFE. 

Ancestry — A  chivalric  family — McCleflan's  grandfather — His  pa- 
rentage— Birth  and  education — Passion  for  reading — The  dis- 
regarded supper — Choice  of  a  profession — Nominated  to  the 
Military  Academy — Preliminary  examination — Distinguished 
classmates — Military  instruction  —  Annual  encampment — Aca- 
demic instruction — "Mac"  and  his  "chum" — Paying  dearly 
for  his  whistle — Studies  pursued — The  conduct-roll — McClel- 
lan's  rank  in  his  class,  and  position  on  the  conduct-roll — His 
name  attached  to  the  Army  Kegister. 

A  MONG  the  chivalric  names  which  stand  bla- 
-*£*-  zoned  on  the  muster-roll  of  Scotland's  heroes, 
that  of  McClellan  is  far  from  being  the  least  promi- 
nent. The  McClellans  of  Kirkcudbright  and  Bombie 
— an  ancient  and  illustrious  Galloway  family — were 
allied  to  the  renowned  "Knights  of  Lochinvar."  Sir 
Robert  McClellan  was  created  a  Scotch  Peer  by 
Charles  I.,  under  the  title  of  Lord  Kirkcudbright, 
and  the  old  family  mansion  lies  crumbling  to  dust 
near  the  burg  of  that  name,  and  on  the  banks  of  the 
river  Dee.  The  title  became  extinct  on  the  death  of 
the  last  peer,  in  1832,  without  male  issue.  A  valor- 
ous scion  of  the  house  fell  at  Flodden.  McClellan  is 
a  name  associated  in  Scotia's  history  with  every  thing 
that  is  noble,  patriotic,  and  darrng,  and  stories  of  the 


20  BOYHOOD    AND    CADET   LIFE. 

brave  deeds  of  those  who  bore  it  still  linger  in  the 
legendary  lore  of  the  district  in  which  they  dwelt. 
From  this  stock  comes  the  subject  of  our  memoir. 

His  grandfather  emigrated  to  this  country,  along 
with  two  brothers,  in  the  middle  of  the  last  century, 
and  settled  in  Connecticut.  During  the  youth  of  his 
grandson  he  resided  at  Woodstock,  of  which  place 
he  was  a  prominent  citizen.  He  was  in  appearance 
not  unlike  General  Jackson,  used  to  adopt  "  Old 
Hickory's"  style  of  dress,  and,  like  to  him,  wore  his 
hair  long,  brushed  back,  and  tied  up  behind  in  a 
queue.  Mr.  James  McClellan  followed  the  avocation 
of  a  farmer ;  was  full  of  energy  and  public  spirit ;  and 
moreover  so  esteemed  by  his  fellow-townsmen,  that 
his  assistance  was  invariably  required  in  the  arrange- 
ment of  local  affairs.  He  could  not  bear  to  see  any 
thing  done  in  a  tardy  or  bungling  manner.  When  a 
hog  had  to  be  killed,  he  would  take  the  knife  and 
give  the  fatal  stroke  himself,  so  that  he  could  instruct 
his  people  in  the  knowledge  of  the  readiest  way  of 
depriving  the  animal  of  life  with  the  least  possible 
pain  to  the  sufferer.  To  his  expertness  in  this  ope- 
ration his  neighbors  were  accustomed  to  attribute 
the  great  surgical  talents  evinced  by  his  son. 

Mr.  James  McClellan's  son,  George,  graduated  at 
Yale  College,  studied  medicine  and  surgery,  and  then 
established  himself  as  a  physician  at  Philadelphia, 
where  he  became  distinguished  in  his  profession,  and 
was  instrumental  in  instituting  Jefferson  Medical 


BIETH    AND    EDUCATION.  21 

College.  He  died  in  May,  1 846,  leaving  a  widow, 
who  still  survives.  His  eldest  son,  Dr.  John  H.  B.  Mc- 
Clellan,  is  now  a  physician  in  the  same  city,  his  second 
forms  the  subject  of  this  work,  and  his  youngest, 
Captain  Arthur  McClellan,  was  formerly  attached  to 
the  staff  of  his  brother,  then  of  General  Sedgwick, 
and  upon  the  death  of  the  latter,  appointed  to 
that  of  his  successor,  General  Wright.  Captain  Mc- 
Clellan partakes  in  a  great  degree  of  the  military 
ardor  of  his  brother,  proving  that  the  blood  of  the 
Scottish  warriors  still  remains  in  the  family.  He  has 
had  several  horses  killed  under  him  since  the  crossing 
of  the  Rapid  an,  from  which  it  must  be  presumed 
he  does  not  fear  entering  within  range  of  the  enemy's 
rifles.  Two  daughters  are  also  at  present  living. 

GEORGE  BKINTON  MCCLELLAN  was  born  at  Phila- 
delphia on  the  3d  of  December,  1 826.  He  was  named 
after  both  his  father  and  his  mother — the  maiden 
name  of  the  latter  having  been  Elizabeth  Brinton. 
His  education  was  commenced  in  the  school  of  Mr. 
S.  C.  Walker,  under  whose  charge  he  remained  four 
years,  and  was  then  transferred  to  a  German  teacher, 
with  whom  he  commenced  the  study  of  the  classical 
languages.  He  next  entered  the  preparatory  school 
of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  and,  at  the  age  of 
thirteen,  joined  the  classes  of  the  College,  in  which  he 
remained  two  years.  In  the  whole  of  these  establish- 
ments he  attained,  a  high  rank  in  the  classes  to 


22  BOYHOOD    AND   CADET    LIFE. 

which  he  belonged,  and  his  amiable  disposition  caused 
him  ever  to  be  a  great  favorite  with  classmates. 

George  would  at  times,  during  his  vacations,  visit 
his  grandfather  at  Woodstock,  where  he  had  access  to 
books.  These  were  ever  attractive  to  him,  and  their 
fascinations  would  occasionally  cost  him  a  supper. 
His  grandfather  was  very  exacting  of  punctuality  at 
meals,  and  could  not  bear  that  much  time  should  be 
devoted  to  them.  He  was  the  first  to  sit  down  at 
table,  invariably  doing  so  the  moment  the  appointed 
hour  arrived,  and  went  to  work  with  an  energy  that 
would  tend  to  the  belief  he  considered  his  life  de- 
pended more  upon  the  speed  with  which  he  could  ge.t 
through  his  meal,  than  upon  a  proper  attention  to  the 
laws  of  digestion. 

When  supper-time  arrived,  our  young  friend  fre- 
quently had  his  thoughts  buried  in  the  contents  of 
some  interesting  book.  "  George,  supper  is  ready," 
he  would  hear  called.  The  charms  of  the  volume, 
however,  would  soon  cause  him  to  forget  the  sum- 
mons. He  would  perhaps  be  called  a  second  time, 
if  the  old  gentleman  did  not  prevent  it  by  remarking, 
"  If  that  boy  won't  come  to  supper  he  must  go,  with- 
out." But  evena»second  summons  would  sometimes 
fail  to  draw  him  away  from  his  reading.  It  would 
only  cause  him  to  rise  from  his  seat ;  then,  taking 
hold  of  the  back  of  the  chair,  he  would  continue  to 
pore  over  his  book,  again  speedily  forgetful  of  the 
nieal  which  awaited  him.  When  all  else  had  finished 


THE  BOY  M'CLELLAN'S  PASSION  FOR  STUDY. 


CHOICE    OF    A   PROFESSION.  23 

he  would  be  found  in  this  position,  with  his  mind 
riveted  upon  the  alluring  volume. 

When  the  proper  time  arrived  for  choosing  a  pro- 
fession, young  McClellan's  taste  and  temperament 
inclined  him  to  select  the  military  art,  and  to  desire 
admission  into  the  Academy  at  West  Point.  He 
was  favored  with  the  requisite  nomination  by  the 
Hon.  Joseph  R.  Ingersoll,  at  the  time  member  of 
Congress  for  the  city  of  Philadelphia. 

Though  the  classes  do  not  commence  till  July  1st, 
the  young  men  who  have  been  fortunate  in  obtaining 
appointments  are  required  to  report  in  person  to  the 
Superintendent  at  West  Point  between  the  1st  and 
20th  of  the  previous  month,  unless  prevented  by 
sickness,  in  which  case  they  can  be  admitted  on  a 
later  day.  But  the  nomination  by  the  member  of 
Congress,  and  the  appearance  within  the  precincts 
of  the  Academy,  do  not  permit  the  applicant  to  par- 
take of  its  advantages,  unless  he  is  capable  of  passing 
preliminary  mental  and  rigid  medical  examinations. 
He  must  be  able  to  read  and  write  well,  and  perform 
with  facility  and  accuracy  the  various  operations 
of  the  four  ground  rules  of  arithmetic,  of  reduction, 
of  simple  and  compound  proportion,  and  of  vulgar 
and  decimal  fractions.  Failing  in  a  full  compliance 
with  the  mental  requisites,  or  being  subject  to  any 
disorder,  deformity,  or  infirmity,  that  would  render 
him  unfit  for  military  service,  he  is  rejected. 

The  examination  of  the  candidates  commences  on 


24  BOYHOOD   AND   CADET  LIFE. 

the  21st  of  June,  and  is  conducted  in  the  presence 
of  the  whole  Academic  Board.  It  is  strict,  but  by 
no  means  a  fearful  ordeal,  from  the  few  require- 
ments demanded;  and  usually  the  number  rejected 
does  not  exceed  half  a  dozen. 

Young  McClellan's  attainments,  upon  entering 
West  Point,  were  of  course  sufficient  to  enable  him 
to  pass  this  ordeal  without  difficulty.  He  was  con- 
sequently admitted,  and  ranked  from  the  1st  day  of 
July  as  a  member  of  the  lowest  or  fourth  class. 

In  this  class  were  many  whose  names,  during  the 
past  three  eventful  years,  have  been  placed  promi- 
nently before  the  world,  and  the  records  of  whose 
deeds  have  filled  no  small  space  in  the  chronicles 
of  the  day.  Prominent  among  them  stands  the 
name  of  that  remarkable  man,  Thomas  Jonathan 
Jackson, — more  generally  known  by  his  nom  de 
guerre  of  "  Stonewall"  Jackson, — to  whose  intense 
zeal  and  chivalric  spirit  the  people  of  the  North 
have  not  declined  to  pay  fitting  homage,  though 
they  must  ever  regret  the  mistaken  sense  of  duty 
which  induced  him  to  espouse  a  rebellious  cause. 
But  the  class,  as  viewed  to-day,  was  essentially  a 
loyal  one,  for  near  its  head  stood  McClellau,  and  not 
far  from  him  the  brave  Reno,  who  fell  valiantly 
fighting  under  the  old  flag  at  South  Mountain  ;  and 
such  names,  too,  as  Foster,  Couch,  Seymour,  Sturgis, 
and  Stoneman,  are  found  upon  its  list.  At  its  head 
was  seen  Charles  S.  Stewart,  now  a  Major  of  Engi 


THE    CLASSES.  25 

neers ;  and  the  Historian  of  West  Point,  Captain  Ed- 
ward C.  Boynton,  filled  no  unenviable  position  in  its 
ranks.  The  rebel  General  A.  P.  Hill  started  with 
the  class,  but  in  the  third  year  was  turned  back  for 
deficiency  in  his  studies. 

The  classes  of  cadets  are  numerically  arranged  into 
the  First,  Second,  Third,  and  Fourth  classes,  corre- 
sponding to  the  Senior,  Junior,  Sophomore,  and 
Freshman  classes  of  other  collegiate  institutions. 

There  is  so  much  routine  and  disciplinary  work  to 
pass  through  in  a  course  of  study  at  a  military 
academy,  that  the  life  of  the  cadet  is  generally  a 
quiet  one,  especially  when  compared  with  that  ex- 
perienced in  the  higher  educational  institutions  of 
civil  life. 

The  Academy  at  West  Point  is  essentially  a  national 
one,  and  as  some  of  the  most  celebrated  men  of 
the  day  have  graduated  there,  the  reader  will  be 
interested  with  an  insight  into  its  proceedings,  espe- 
cially as  it  will  give  some  idea  of  the  manner  in 
which  young  McClellan  spent  the  four  years  before 
he  crossed  the  threshold  of  manhood.* 

For  the  purposes  of  Military  instruction,  the 
cadets,  every  year,  after  the  close  of  the  June  exami- 
nation, leave  the  barracks,  and  are  encamped  in  tents 
upon  the  plain  during  the  months  of  July  and  Au- 
gust, under  all  the  regulations,  discipline,  and  police 

*  For  particulars  of  the  Military  Academy,  we  are  indebted  to 
Captain  Boyn ton's  interesting  "History  of  West  Point." 
2 


26  BOYHOOD   AND    CADET   LIFE. 

of  an  army  in  the  field.  Their  organization  varies 
while  undergoing  instruction  in  the  particular  arms 
of  the  service,  but  the  permanent  organization  is 
that  of  a  battalion  of  infantry,  composed  of  four 
companies.  In  these  companies,  the  four  Academic 
classes  are  indiscriminately  mixed. 

Throughout  the  whole  year,  when  the  weather 
permits,  guard-mounting  at  half-past  seven  A.  M.,  and 
evening  dress  parade  at  sunset,  accompanied  by  the 
band,  are  imposing  and  pleasant  spectacles  which 
break  the  monotony  of  cadet  life. 

For  the  purpose  of  Academic  instruction,  the 
cadets  break  up  the  encampment  at  the  end  of  Au- 
gust, and  return  to  barracks,  where  the  remaining 
nine  months  of  the  year  are  passed  in  prosecuting 
their  studies  in  their  respective  classes.  This  period 
is  divided  into  two  terms :  the  first  extending  from 
September  1st  to  January  2d,  when  the  semi-annual 
examination  commences ;  the  second  follows  the  close 
of  the  latter,  and  terminates  May  31st. 

It  is  not  customary  in  the  Academy  for  a  cadet  to 
form  a  close  intimacy  with  a  brother  student,  or 
have  a  "chum,"  as  is  the  case  at  college.  Young 
McClellan,  or  "  Mac,"  as  he  was  called  by  his  com- 
panions, was  an  exception  to  this  rule,  for  he  asso- 
ciated with  and  was  much  attached  to  a  classmate, 
who  some  years  ago  had  the  misfortune  to  meet 
with  a  watery  grave. 

"  Mac"  was  often  to  be  seen  completely  enveloped 


THE   STUDIES   PURSUED.  27 

in  thought,  totally  unconscious  of  all  that  was  passing 
around.  During  the  period  of  encampment,  he  would 
frequently  stand  at  the  door  of  his  tent,  loudly  whist- 
ling some  favorite  air,  and  thus,  without  at  the  time 
being  aware  of  it,  commit  a  breach  of  the  disciplinary 
code  of  the  institution,  and  render  himself  liable  to 
a  penalty.  He,  consequently,  had  many  times  to 
"  pay  dearly  for  his  whistle."  His  mind,  however, 
would  be  far  away  from  any  idea  of  doing  wrong, 
and  busily  occupied  solving  some  mathematical  pro- 
blem, or  soaring  in  the  realms  of  physical  science. 

The  studies  pursued  at  the  Academy  are  for  the 
most  part  scientific.  General  literature,  the  lan- 
guages, except  French  and  Spanish,  and  classical 
studies,  form  no  part  of  the  course.  It  is  the  dis- 
tinctive -feature  in  the  programme  at  the  Military 
Academy  to  study  but  few  subjects  comparatively, 
and  to  learn  those  well. 

The  conduct-roll  is  the  main-spring  to  the  whole 
system  of  discipline.  It  is  compiled  from  a  record 
of  all  the  irregularities  and  violations  of  the  code 
established  for  the  government  of  the  cadet.  An 
arbitrary  number  is  assigned  to  conduct,  and  the* 
relative  proficiency  of  the  student  combined  there- 
with, in  determining  his  final  graduating  class  rank. 
Thorough  knowledge  of  the  course  of  study  alone, 
therefore,  does  not  secure  the  cadet  the  highest  rank. 

In  the  annual  examination  in  June,  at  the  termina- 
tion of  young  McClellan's  first  year  of  study,  he 


28  BOYHOOD    AND    CADET   LIFE. 

gained  the  third  place  in  his  class  in  order  of  gene- 
ral merit,  ranking  in  order  of  merit  in  the  respective 
studies,  third  in  mathematics  and  fifth  in  French. 

In  his  second  annual  examination,  he  retained  the 
third  place  in  the  class,  and  was  ranked  in  the  re- 
spective studies,  first  in  mathematics,  sixth  in  French, 
twentieth  in  drawing,  and  sixth  in  English  grammar 
and  geography. 

At  the  close  of  the  third  year,  he  exchanged  pla- 
ces with  John  G.  Foster, — the  present  General  of 
that  name, — who  had  occupied  the  fourth  rank  in  the 
preceding  year  ;  and  stood  in  the  respective  studies, 
second  in  natural  and  experimental  philosophy,  sec- 
ond in  chemistry,  and  twelfth  in  drawing. 

In  his  fourth  or  graduating  year,  McClellan  more 
than  regained  the  position  he  had  lost  in  the  previous 
annual  examination,  and  attained  the  second  rank  in 
the  class ;  whilst  in  the  respective  studies,  he  was 
first  in  mineralogy  and  geology,  second  in  engi- 
neering and  the  science  of  war,  second  in  ethics, 
second  in  artillery,  and  third  in  infantry  tactics.  It 
is  worthy  of  notice,  that  of  the  first  fifteen  members 
of  the  class,  the  next  in  age  was  a  year  and  nine 
months,  and  the  eldest,  three  years  and  ten  months 
his  senior.  It  was  the  largest  graduating  class  that 
ever  left  the  Academy,  and  comprised  fifty-nine  mem- 
bers. Whilst  undergoing  the  ordeal  of  examination, 
it  was  remarked  that  of  the  five  who  gained  the 
highest  positions,  McClellan  was  the  only  one  who  did 


THE    CONDUCT-ROLL.  29 

not  exhibit  signs  of  mental  exertion.  He  appeared  to 
have  confidence  in  his  own  ability  to  pass  his  exami- 
nation with  honor,  and  that  confidence  was  not  mis- 
placed. 

The  conduct-roll  of  each  year  contains  the  names 
of  all  the  cadets  then  in  the  Academy,  arranged  in 
numerical  order,  in  accordance  with  the  number  of  de- 
merits standing  opposite  their  names.  In  the  four 
years  McClellan  was  in  the  institution,  the  numbers 
of  cadets  whose  names  were  placed  in  this  roll  were 
respectively  223,  211,  204,  and  213 ;  the  lowest  num- 
ber of  demerits  in  each  of  the  four  years  0,  and  the 
highest  respectively  199,  280,  200,  and  200. 

McClellan's  name  did  not  stand  so  high  upon  this 
roll  as  it  did  in  his  class,  being  the  137th  the  first 
year,  with  51  demerits ;  the  52d  the  second  year,  with 
25  demerits;  the  102d  the  third  year,  with  60  de- 
merits ;  and  the  62d  the  fourth  year,  with  22  demerits. 
As,  in  accordance  with  the  regulations  of  the  Acade- 
my, the  demerits  influence  the  awarding  of  a  cadet's 
position  in  his  class,  we  have  here  an  index  to  the  rea- 
son why  McClellan  lost  a  point  at  the  close  of  his 
third  year.  The  number,  too,  of  his  demerits  "in  the 
fourth,  although  less  than  in  any  previous  year,  pre- 
vented his  obtaining  the  first  rank  in  his  class,  which 
his  talents  commanded  and  would  have  gained  for 
him,  if  his  position  on  the  conduct-roll  had  not  stood 
in  the  way.  But  it  must,  in  justice  to  him,  be  re- 
marked, that  his  offences  against  the  disciplinary  code 


30  BOYHOOD    AND   CADET   LIFE. 

were  not  of  a  grave  nature ;  they  were  invariably  the 
result  of  his  mind  being  occupied  with  the  considera- 
tion of  some  branch  of  study,  to  the  neglect  of  guard- 
ing against  breaches  of  military  etiquette,  or  minor  in- 
fractions of  the  code  of  discipline, — such  as  the  ab- 
sence of  a  button  from  his  apparel,  the  failure  of 
putting  in  an  appearance  when  the  muster-roll  was 
called,  or  the  whistling  at  the  door  of  his  tent,  to 
which  we  have  alluded.  The  cadet  who  is  deficient 
in  mental  power  will,  on  the  contrary,  be  very  care- 
ful to  avoid  every  infraction  of  the  code,  as  it  is  only 
by  obtaining  a  good  place  on  the  conduct-roll  that 
he  is  enabled  to  save  himself  or  his  friends  from 
disappointment,  or  secure  such  a  standing  as  fore- 
shadows his  future  position  in  the  army. 

The  names  of  the  cadets  who  have  most  distinguish- 
ed themselves  in  the  annual  examination,  not  exceed- 
ing five  in  each  class,  are  returned  to  the  War  De- 
partment, for  the  purpose  of  being  attached  to  the 
next  army  register.  This  is  done  with  a  view  to  aid 
in  elevating  the  system  of  discipline,  and  create  a 
spirit  of  emulation  among  the  cadets,  in  the  hope 
that  it  faay  lead  to  the  nation  finding  in  the  Academy, 
when  occasion  requires,  "  the  skill  to  conduct  valor 
to  victory."  McClellan  won  the  honor  of  having  his 
name  attached  to  this  list  on  each  of  the  four  years 
he  was  a  student  at  West  Point. 


CHAPTER    H. 

FIRST   EXPERIENCES    IN   THE   FIELD. 

Aspirations  of  the  West  Point  Cadets — Reasons  which  led  to 
the  War  with  Mexico — McClellan's  First  Commission — Off  to 
the  War— The  first  Victory— On  the  March— Tampicd— Scott 
in  command — McClellan  transferred  to  the  Army  of  Invasion — 
Siege  of  Yera  Cruz — Hard  work — Sublimity  of  the  Bombard- 
ment— The  road  to  the  Interior — The  heights  of  Cerro  Gordo — 
Their  capture — First  meeting  of  Scott  and  McClellan — Ad- 
vance to  Puebla — McClellan  in  the  Van — Halt  of  the  Army — 
Illustration  of  McClellan's  pluck — Overtures  of  Peace. 

rpOWARD  the  close  of  young  McClellan's  cadet- 
-*-  career  at  West  Point,  the  dispute  with  Mexico, 
which  had  grown  out  of  the  annexation  of  Texas  to 
the  United  States,  culminated  in  hostilities,  and  the 
young  soldier  saw  before  him  a  sphere  of  action 
which  a  long  peace  had  denied  to  the  graduates  of 
more  than  thirty  previous  years. 

In  an  academy  specially  devoted  to  instruction  in 
the  art  of  war,  it  cannot  be  wondered  that  the  stu- 
dents daily  canvassed  the  progress  of  the  campaign, 
and,  in  their  imaginations,  traced  for  themselves 
paths  of  glory  on  the  rugged  field  of  strife.  They 
read  with  avidity  the  war  news  which  daily  ap- 
peared in  the  columns  of  the  press ;  they  consulted 
the  various  works  which  depicted  the  country 
wherein,  it  was  more  than  probable,  American  arms 


32  FIRST    EXPERIENCES    IN   THE    FIELD. 

would  be  called  upon  to  avenge  the  insult  which 
had  been  offered  to  American  honor;  and  they 
mapped  out  for  themselves  the  road  upon  which  the 
American  banner  would  be  carried  triumphantly 
to  the  proud  capital  of  the  land,  that,  ages  ago, 
Cortez  had  won  for  the  Spaniard,  from  the  Aztec 
and  the  Indian. 

A  country  is  never  warranted  in  entering  upon 
war,  unless  it  is  thoroughly  convinced  that  it  has 
justice  and  right  upon  its  side.  The  United  States 
had,  during  a  long  peace,  prospered  to  a  greater 
degree  than,  historic  records  tell  us,  it  had  been 
the  good  fortune  of  any  other  nation  during  an 
equal  number  of  years.  They  sought  by  every 
honorable  means  to  avert  the  necessity  of  appealing 
to  the  sword,  as  the  arbitrator  of  the  dispute  into 
which  they  had  been  drawn.  All  their  endeavors, 
however,  were  in  vain,  and  war  alone  remained 
the  means  of  settlement.  The  reasons  which  insti- 
gated this  conflict  with  the  Mexicans,  are  briefly 
given  by  President  Polk,  in  his  message  to  Con- 
gress, in  December,  1847:  "The  wanton  violation 
of  the  rights  of  persons  and  property  of  our  citizens 
committed  by  Mexico,  her  repeated  acts  of  bad 
faith,  through  a  long  series  of  years,  and  her  dis- 
regard of  solemn  treaties,  stipulating  for  indemnity 
to  our  injured  citizens,  not  only  constituted  ample 
cause  of  war  on  our  part,  but  were  of  such  aggra- 
vated character,  as  would  have  justified  us  before 


FIRST   COMMISSION.  33 

the  whole  world,  in  resorting  to  this  extreme 
remedy." 

In  the  middle  of  the  month  before  that  in  which 
McClellan  graduated,  Congress  authorized  the  for- 
mation of  a  company  of  "  Engineer  Soldiers,  or 
Sappers,  Miners,  and  Pontoniers."  A  company  of 
this  nature  had,  for  many  years,  been  proposed 
without  effect,  as  a  proper  adjunct  to  the  array  in 
time  of  peace ;  but  the  exigencies  of  the  war  now 
imperatively  demanded  its  immediate  formation. 
This  company  was  to  form  part  of  the  Corps  of 
Engineers,  and  the  duties  which  were  to  devolve 
upon  its  members  were  opening  roads,  constructing 
and  repairing  fortifications,  throwing  up  intrench- 
ments,  preparing  shelter  for  artillery  and  infantry 
when  engaged  in  siege  operations,  and  bridging 
rivers  by  pontoons  and  otherwise  for  the  passage 
of  an  army.  Such  duties  not  only  demand  the  pos- 
session of  a  strong  physique,  but  of  a  high  mental 
culture  not  essential  in  other  branches  of  the  army. 
As  McClellan  possessed  both  these  requisites,  he  was 
naturally  considered  an  eligible  person  to  receive  an 
appointment  to  a  command  in  the  new  company. 

The  head-quarters  were  established  at  West  Point, 
and  the  ranks  were  soon  filled  by  intelligent  men, 
mostly  mechanics,  possessing  the  necessary  physical 
qualities.  Young  McClellan,  who  received  the  ap- 
pointment of  brevet  second  lieutenant  on  July  1st, 
1846,  was  one  of  the  officers  placed  in  charge  of  the 


34  FIRST    EXPERIENCES    IN   THE    FIELD. 

organization.  The  other  officers  were  Captain  A.  J. 
Swift,  who  had  previously  studied  the  functions  of 
this  particular  branch  of  the  service  in  Europe,  and 
Lieutenant  Gustavus  W.  Smith.  The  new  company, 
which  consisted  of  seventy-one  men,  exclusive  of  the 
officers  here  named,  was  rapidly  drilled,  and  on 
September  19th  was  inspected  by  Colonel  Totten, 
Chief  of  Engineers,  who  awarded  great  praise  to 
Lieutenant  McClellan  and  his  brother  officers  for  the 
excellent  discipline  to  which  they  had  brought  their 
command. 

The  young  soldier  was  now  fairly  launched  upon 
the  sea  of  life.  The  metal  of  which  he  was  made  was 
now  to  be  tested,  and  either  to  receive  the  stamp 
of  true  genius,  or  to  be  cast  away  among  the  dross. 
How  the  bark  has  weathered  the  storm  it  is  the 
province  of  this  book  to  tell.  How  the  metal,  after 
it  has  passed  through  the  crucible  and  been  handled 
daintily  and  roughly,  still  retains  its  sterling  value, 
unbiassed  history  records. 

The  aspirant  for  military  honors,  before  departing 
for  what  proved  to  be  the  scene  of  his  earliest  fame, 
visited  the  place  of  his  birth,  and  whilst  there  was  in- 
troduced by  his  father  to  Captain  Randolph  B.  Marcy, 
to  whose  family  it  was  destined  he  should,  in  after 
years,  be  allied.  With  an  air  of  pardonable  pride, 
Dr.  McClellan  presented  his  son  to  his  senior  in 
arms.  He  was  buoyed  up  with  hope  that  the  young 
officer  possessed  those  merits  which  would  achieve 


ARRIVES    AT   THE    SEAT    OF    WAR.  35 

for  him  a  name  that  would  adorn  the  annals  of  his 
country.  The  actions  of  the  son  have  since  proved 
that,  the  hope  of  the  father  was  established  upon  a 
firm  basis. 

McClellan  embarked  with  his  company  from  New 
York  at  the  end  of  September,  and  on  October  12th, 
after  a  passage  of  fourteen  days,  landed  at  Brazos 
Santiago,  not  far  from  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  Grande. 

It  was  near  Matamoras,  on  this  river,  that,  on  the 
24th  of  April  previous,  hostilities  had  commenced  be- 
tween the  opposing  forces.  The  war  opened  by  the 
Mexicans  invading  the  new  State  of  Texas,  and  the 
United  States  were  compelled  in  self-defence  to  op- 
pose the  invader,  and  to  vindicate  the  national  honor. 
General  Taylor, — who  commanded  the  American 
forces,  which  had  been  for  some  time  stationed  in 
Texas,  for  the  protection  of  that  State  against  the 
anticipated  invasion, — prior  to  McClellan's  landing, 
had  successfully  pursued  the  Mexicans  within  their 
own  territory,  and  on  the  23d  of  September  had 
achieved  a  glorious  victory  over  them  at  Monterey, 
a  place  situated  at  some  distance  in  the  interior. 

Previous  to  the  battle  of  Monterey,  it  was  inti- 
mated to  General  Taylor  by  the  administration,  that 
a  movement  should  be  made  into  the  State  of  Tamau- 
lipas,  more  particularly  with  a  view  of  taking  and 
holding  Tampico,  its  principal  sea-port.  Orders 
were  given,  at  the  same  time,  to  the  naval' 
squadron  in  the  Gulf,  to  co-operate  with  the-la:;d 


36  FIRST    EXPERIENCES    IN    THE    FIELD. 

forces  in  the  capture  of  that  place,  or,  if  thought 
practicable,  to  take  it  without  waiting  for  the  assist- 
ance of  the  army.  As  tbe  dispatch,  containing  the 
instructions  to  the  General,  was  captured  by  the 
enemy,  and  its  bearer  brutally  murdered,  the' move- 
ment was  delayed  until  December. 

McClellan  and  the  engineer  company  were  instruct- 
ed to  report  to  General  Taylor  upon  their  arrival  in 
Texas.  From  Brazos  Santiago  they  proceeded  to 
Camargo,  and  were  afterwards  countermarched  to 
the  mouth  of  the  Rio  Grande,  from  whence  they  ad- 
vanced up  the  river  to  Matamoras.  Here  they  were 
deployed  to  take  part  in  the  expedition  to  Tam- 
pico.  Captain  Swift  and  several  of  his  men  were 
compelled,  on  account  of  sickness,  to  be  left  behind 
in  the  hospital  at  Matamoras.  The  command  of  the 
company  therefore  devolved  upon  Lieutenant  Smith, 
and  the  change  considerably  increased  the  duties  of 
McClellan,  who  now  became  second  in  command. 

The  column  which  composed  the  expedition  con- 
sisted of  volunteers  under  General  Patterson.  It 
moved  to  Tampico  by  way  of  Victoria,  and  in  the 
progress,  McClellan' s  little  band,  now  reduced  to 
forty-five,  hud  the  most  onerous  duties  to  perform. 
The  engineer  soldiers  were  the  pioneers  of  the  column. 
They  opened  roads,  built  bridges,  cleared  ground  for 
encampments,  and  undertook  the  most  arduous  labors 
under  the  most  trying  circumstances.  This  work 
tested  the  strength  of  the  nun  an-1  iV?  slill 


THE    ARMY    OF    INVASION.  37 

of  the  officers.  Upon  arriving  at  Tampico,  it  was 
discovered  that  the  place  had  already  surrendered  to 
the  naval  force  under  Commodore  Perry. 

Santa  Anna  had  ascertained  from  the  captured  dis- 
patch that  Tampico  was  to  become  a  point  of  attack. 
He  had  consequently  caused  the  guns  and  public 
stores  to  be  destroyed  and  secreted,  and  ordered 
the  garrison  to  retreat  beyond  the  mountains.  The 
town,  therefore,  had  surrendered  on  November  15th, 
without  the  firing  of  a  gun,  and  was  held  by  the  navy 
until  the  arrival  of  Patterson's  column,  when  it  was 
handed  over  into  the  charge  of  the  land  forces. 

On  the  23d  of  November,  1846,  General  Scott  was 
instructed  to  assume  command  of  the  forces  in  Mexi- 
co, and,  after  capturing  and  holding  Vera  Cruz  as  a 
base  of  operations,  to  march  directly  upon  the  national 
capital.  This  expedition  did  not  supersede  the  opera- 
tions of  General  Taylor,  who  was  ordered  to  hold  the 
line  of  the  Sierra  Madre,  where  he  achieved  another 
victory  at  Buena  Vista,  February  22d  and  23d,  1847 
But  as  portions  of  General  Taylor's  forces  were  re- 
quired to  form  part  of  the  expedition  to  the  capital, 
he  was  compelled  thenceforth  to  change  his  offensive 
attitude  into  one  of  defence. 

Lieute-nant  McClellan  and  the  engineer  company 
were  among  the  troaps  destined  to  fight  their  way 
to  the  city  of  Mexico.  The  Island  of  Lobos, — 
between  Tampico  and  Yera  Cruz,  one  hundred 


38  FIRST    EXPERIENCES    IN   THE    FIELD. 

and  twenty  miles  north  of  the  latter  place — was 
chosen  as  the  rendezvous  of  the  naval  and  military 
forces  who  were  to  take  part  in  the  assault  of  Vera 
Cruz.  On  March  7,  1847,  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
three  vessels,  carrying  twelve  thousand  soldiers,  left 
this  island  for  the  point  of  attack,  which  it  reached 
two  days  afterward. 

Vera  Cruz  is  the  principal  channel  through  which 
the  riches  of  New  Spain  are  poured  to  the  old 
world.  It  is  a  regularly  and  even  beautifully  built 
city,  with  fine  open  streets,  a  noble  spacious  square, 
and  many  churches.  The  shore  on  which  it  is  situ- 
ated is  of  the  most  sterile  nature,  and  gives  to  the 
place  a  deserted  appearance,  whilst  the  flights  of 
unclean  birds,  which  hover  above  its  roofs  and 
perch  upon  its  spires,  are  any  thing  but  pleasing  to 
the  eye.  The  city  is  protected  from  attack  by  sea 
by  the  castle  of  San  Juan  d'Ulloa.  This  fortress, 
which  has  been  deemed  almost  impregnable,  is  more 
remarkable  for  its  actual  strength  than  for  its  stri- 
king and  picturesque  appearance.  It  seems  to  rise 
directly  out  of  the  water,  as  its  base  is  only  a  sand- 
bank, whose  shallow  flats  protect  it  towards  the 
ocean. 

Whilst  off  Vera  Cruz,  Captain  Swift  resumed 
command  of  the  engineer  company,  but  was  only 
able  to  retain  it  for  a  few  da^s,  when  his  sickness 
increased  so  rapidly  that  it  soon  after  terminated  his 
life.  A  new  officer  was  at  the  same  time  added  to 


HARD    WORK.  39 

the  company  in  the  person  of  Lieutenant  Foster, 
who  remained  in  active  service  with  it  until  he  was 
disabled  by  a  wound  at  El  Molino  del  Rey.  Thus 
we  see  that  upon  Lieutenants  Smith  and  McClellan 
the  greater  part  of  the  duties  of  the  company  de- 
volved, and  those  duties  were  of  the  severest  kind. 

The  American  forces  were  debarked  upon  a  spot 
not  far  from  the  city.  McClellan's  company  landed 
with  the  advance  division  of  General  Worth.  It  was 
anticipated  that  the  disembarkation  would  be  disputed 
by  the  enemy,  but  no  opposition  was  experienced, 
beyond  the  firing  of  shot  and  shell  from  the  city 
fortresses  and  the  castle  of  San  Juan  d'Ulloa.  The 
spot  chosen  for  landing  was  unexpected  by  the  enemy, 
and  the  debarkation  was  so  admirably  ordered,  that 
not  a  life  was  lost  in  the  operation. 

Immediately  that  all  the  troops  were  safely  on 
shore,  the  investment  of  the  city  commenced.  From 
the  moment  of  the  landing  until  the  surrender  of 
the  castle  and  town,  on  the  26th,  the  engineer  com- 
pany was  engaged  in  most  severe  and  trying  labors, 
— in  opening  paths  and  roads  to  facilitate  the  invest- 
ment, in  covering  reconnoissances,  and  in  the  daily 
increasing  hardships  of  the  trenches.  The  total  of 
the  company  was  so  small,  and  the  demand  for  its 
aid  so  incessant,  that  every  man  may  be  said  to  have 
been  constantly  on  duty,  with  scarcely  a  moment 
for  rest  or  refreshment.  Colonel  Totten,  Chief  of 
Engineers,  reports  that  McClellan  and  his  brother 


40  FIRST   EXPERIENCES    IN   THE    FIELD. 

officers  "participated  in  these  night  and  day  labors, 
and,  directing  the  operations  of  the  siege  with  unsur- 
passed intelligence  and  zeal,  were  emulated  in  per- 
severance by  these  good  and  faithful  soldiers."  It 
would  certainly  seem  that  the  importance  of  the  duties 
performed  by  McClellan  and  his  brave  comrades 
were  not  duly  appreciated  at  the  time,  for  Colonel 
Totten  further  remarks :  "  Aware  how  much  the 
prompt  success  of  the  operation  may  be  said  to  have 
depended  upon  the  proper  execution  of  the  duties 
devolving  upon  this  company,  and  having  been  a 
personal  witness  of  the  personal  efforts  made  by  all, 
it  has  been  a  source  of  regret  to  me,  that  they  were 
not  rewarded  by  express  acknowledgments  of 
greater  value  than  I  could  bestow." 

And  these  duties,  too,  had  to  be  performed  amid 
the  greatest  danger  to  life  and  limb.  Here  was 
McClellan,  in  only  his  twentieth  year,  and  in  ap- 
pearance some  two  or  three  years  younger,  brought 
for  the  first  time  under  a  fiery  ordeal  sufficient  to  try 
the  nerves  and  frame  of  an  experienced  and  prac- 
tised soldier. 

The  bombardment  of  the  city  by  land  and  sea 
commenced  on  the  22d,  and  continued  until  its 
capitulation.  On  the  25th,  all  the  batteries  were  in 
awful  activity.  Terrible  was  the  scene !  When  night 
fell,  the  darkness  was  illuminated  with  blazing  shells 
circling  through  the  air.  The  roar  of  artillery  and 
the  heavy  fall  of  descending  shot  were  heard 


SURRENDER    OF    VERA    CRUZ.  il 

in  every  street  of  the  besieged  city.  The  roofs 
of  the  buildings  were  on  fire.  The  domes  of  the 
city  reverberated  from  fearful  explosions.  The  sea 
was  reddened  with  the  broadsides  of  the  ships.  The 
castle  of  San  Juan  returned  from  its  heavy  batteries 
the  fire,  the  light,  the  smoke,  the  noise  of  battle. 
The  sublime  and  awfully  terrible  scene,  as  beheld 
from  the  trenches  of  the  army,  caused  the  eye  to 
rest  upon  it  in  bewilderment. 

The  firing  terminated  on  the  morning  of  the  26th, 
upon  the  Mexicans  making  overtures  of  capitulation ; 
and,  at  ten  o'clock  of  the  morning  of  the  29th,  the 
Mexican  flag  was  hauled  down,  and  the  stars  and 
stripes  were  flung  to  the  breeze  upon  the  walls  of 
Vera  Cruz,  and  upon  the  ramparts  of  the  castle  of 
San  Juan  d'Ulloa. 

A  few  days  were  now  consumed  in  preparing 
transportation  for  the  army  on  its  march  toward  the 
city  of  Mexico.  All  being  completed,  on  April  8th 
the  columns  were  put  into  motion.  For  a  mile  or 
two  the  road  led  along  the  low,  sandy,  sea- beaten 
.shore,  and  then  struck  off  to  the  west  through  a  gap 
among  the  sandy  hills.  The  route  next  wound  for 
many  miles  over  deep  and  shifting  soil,  and  then  a 
gently  undulating  district  was  approached.  Leav- 
ing this  behind,  the  aspect  of  the  country  became 
changed ;  the  elevations  were  steeper  and  more  fre- 
quent, the  road  firmer  and  more  rocky,  whilst  the 
vision  was  bounded  on  the  west  by  the  slopes  of  the 


42  FIRST   EXPERIENCES    IN   THE   FIELD. 

tall  sierras,  which  rose  rapidly  in  bold  and  wooded 
masses.  Here  all  the  features  were  found  to  be 
strictly  tropical.  At  Plan  del  Rio,  fifty  miles  from 
Vera  Cruz,  again  the  scenery  entirely  changed,  and 
the  road  struck  boldly  into  the  side  of  the  mountain, 
which  had  to  be  ascended. 

Many  and  formidable  were  the  obstacles  which 
opposed  the  army  in  its  progress  to  this  point. 
But  with  McClellan  and  the  engineer  company 
leading  the  way,  these  obstacles  were  all  over- 
come, and  three  days  after  leaving  Vera  Cruz 
the  army  encamped  at  Plan  del  Rio,  the  fortified 
heights  of  Cerro  Gordo  checking  their  further  pro- 
gress. 

Santa  Anna,  after  his  defeat  by  General  Taylor  at 
Buena  Vista,  had  fallen  back  with  his  shattered 
forces,  and  had  hurried  to  the  city  of  Mexico ; 
whence,  after  he  had  quelled  a  political  commotion, 
he  proceeded  eastward  to  dispute  the  advance  of 
Scott's  forces,  collecting  such  volunteers,  brigands, 
and  guerrillas  as  he  could  pick  up  by  the  way.  The 
first  collision  between  the  rival  armies  took  place  at 
Cerro  Gordo,  the  natural  fortifications  of  which  Santa 
Anna  so  greatly  strengthened  as  to  render  the  posi- 
tion all  but  impregnable. 

To  dislodge  the  Mexicans  from  this  stronghold, 
held  by  a  force  considerably  superior  to  that  whicih 
Scott  could  bring  against  it,  required  the  best  efforts 
of  skill,  military  science,  and  daring  adventure  ;  and 


BEFORE    CERRO    GORDO.  43 

• 

these  high  qualities  were  not  wanting  in  the  Ameri- 
can army. 

As  we  have  already  stated,  three  days'  march 
from  Yera  Cruz  brought  Scott's  advance  column  in 
sight  of  the  enemy.  The  American  camp  was 
formed  on  the  tierra  caliente,  or  low  level,  which  ter- 
minates at  Plan  del  Rio.  From  this  point  the  road 
ascends  immediately  by  a  long  circuit,  among  lofty 
hills,  whose  commanding  points  had  all  been  fortified 
rind  garrisoned.  The  enemy's  right,  intrenched, 
rested  on  a  precipice  overhanging  an  impassable 
ravine  that  forms  the  bed  of  a  stream;  and  his 
intrenchinents  stretched  continuously  to  the  road, 
on  which  was  placed  a  formidable  battery.  On  the 
other  side,  the  lofty  and  difficult  heights  of  Cerro 
Gordo  commanded  the  approaches  in  all  directions. 
The  main  body  of  the  Mexican  army  was  encamped 
on  level  ground  half  a  mile  in  the  rear  of  these  heights. 

General  Twiggs,  who  commanded  the  advance, 
caused  a  reconnoissance  to  be  made  on  the  12th, 
after  which  it  was  determined  to  attack  the  enemy 
in  front,  on  the  following  day.  But  Patterson,  who 
was  second  in  command,  coming  up,  that  general 
determined  that  no  assault  should  be  made  until  it 
was  ordered  by  Scott.  The  Commander-in-chief 
arrived  on  the  14th,  and  at  once  made'  a  second  and 
more  thorough  reconnoissance  of  the  enemy's  position. 
It  did  not  take  him  long  to  discover  that  it  was  mad- 
ness to  hurl  his  troops  against  the  all  but  impregna- 


44  FIRST    EXPERIENCES    IN   THE    FIELD. 

• 

ble  heights  bristling  with  the  bayonets  of  the  Mexi- 
cans. He  resolved,  therefore,  to  gain  by  strategy 
that  which,  if  attempted  only  by  brute  force,  would 
cost  him  dear  in  precious  lives. 

It  was  here  that  McClellan  first  studied,  in  actual 
warfare,  the  art  of  strategy,  under  the  tutorship  of 
the  great  captain  of  the  day.  The  young  soldier  here 
learned  to  appreciate  the  truth  of  that  great  Roman 
sentiment:  "It  is  more  honorable  to  save  a  friend 
than  to  kill  an  enemy."  If  in  after  years  he  failed 
in  his  attempt  to  carry  this  great  art  and  this  noble 
principle  into  practice,  the  failure  must  not  be  attrib- 
uted to  any  lack  of  truth  in  the  principle,  nor  to  any 
want  of  skill  in  the  commander,  but  rather  to  the 
baneful  interference  of  certain  carpet-knights,  whose 
only  battle-grounds  had  been  the  forum  and  the  plat- 
form— windy  words  their  only  weapons. 

To  enable  the  Commander-in-chief  to  carry  out  his 
plans,  he  found  it  necessary  to  cut  a  road  around  the 
base  of  the  mountain,  so  that  he  could  flank  the 
Mexican  lines  and  attack  the  enemy  in  the  rear. 

Here  was  Herculean  work  for  McClellan  and  the 
company  to  perform,  but  so  determinedly  and  so 
energetically  did  they  labor,  that  but  two  days  were 
consumed  in  the  undertaking.  And  so  secretly,  too, 
was  it  executed,  that  the  Mexicans  were  unaware  of 
its  progress  until  it  was  nearly  completed,  on  the 
17th,  when  they  rained  down  upon  the  workmen  a 
terrific  storm  of  lead  and  iron. 


STORMING   THE    HEIGHTS.  45 

Though  it  was  evident  that  this  new  pathway  had 
been  completed  to  within  a  short  distance  of  the  road 
which  led  from  the  rear  of  the  enemy's  camp  to 
Jalapa,  still,  as  that  road  was  not  reached,  it  became 
absolutely  necessary  to  storm  the  heights. 

All  the  preparations  for  this  work  being  completed, 
the  assault  was  made  on  the  following  day.  So  per- 
fect were  General  Scott's  arrangements,  that  failure 
•was  impossible,  and  victory's  eagles  had  no  alternati\fe 
but  to  perch  upon  the  American  banners.  The  heights 
of  Cerro  Gordo,  towering  over  the  enemy's  other 
positions,  and  commanding  them  all,  was  the  main 
point  of  attack.  When  the  morning  dawned,  the 
Mexicans  discovered  that  during  the  night  the  Amer- 
icans had  planted  heavy  guns  on  a  lower  height 
which  they  had  captured  on  the  previous  evening. 
Severe  firing  was  immediately  opened  by  the  former 
and  answered  by  the  latter.  Scott  soon  passed  the 
order  "Storm  the  heights  above!"  Upward  and 
onward  rushed  the  Americans,  careless  of  the  hail 
impelled  from  the  mouth  of  cannon  and  of  musket, 
which  sadly  thinned  their  ranks,  until  they  gained 
the  muzzles  of  the  enemy's  guns.  Then  a  terrific 
hand-to-hand  encounter  ensued,  and  then  a  soul- 
stirring  shout  rent  the  air,  and  the  American 
standard  waved  in  triumph  on  the  blood-stained 
battlements. 

The  engineer  company  was  at  the  point  of  honor 
in  this  important  action,  having  joined  Harney's 


43  FIRST    EXPERIENCES    IN    TftE    FIELD. 

command  in  the  assault  on  the  main  works.  Young 
McClellan  was  creditably  mentioned  in  General 
Scott's  official  report,  for  the  "  able  assistance"  he 
rendered  on  the  occasion.  On  the  twenty-fourth  of 
the  same  month,  he  obtained  the  full  rank  of  second 
lieutenant,  in  place  of  brevet  rank*  which  he  had 
heretofore  only  held. 

While  our  gallant  soldiers  wjere  reaping  imperish- 
able honor,  and  displaying  the  prowess  of  American 
arms,  in  their  daring  ascent  of  the  heights  of  Cerro 
Gordo,  General  Shields  with  his  volunteers  pursued 
the  line  of  the  new-made  road,  assaulted  the  Mexi- 
can left,  and  carried  the  rear  battery.  Having  thus 
possessed  himself  of  the  national  road,  along  which 
the  discomfited  forces  found  it  necessary  to  retreat, 
he  fell  upon  them  in  their  flight,  cutting  many  to 
pieces,  and  his  brave  soldiers  chased  the  remnant 
as  they  hastened  from  the  scene  of  their  disaster. 
Shields  was  unfortunately  shot  through  the  lungs  in 
this  action,  but  he  providentially  survived  to  gather 
new  laurels  then  in  the  future  progress  of  the  Mexi- 
can campaign,  and  now  in  the  time  of  his  country's 
greatest  trials. 

The  only  reverse  which  occurred  to  the  Americans 
during  the  day,  was  the  repulse  of  Pillow's  com- 
mand in  its  first  assault  upon  the  enemy's  right. 
The  fall  of  Cerro  Gordo,  however,  placed  this  posi- 

*  BREVET,  is  a  commission  or  warrant  without  seal,  giving  a 
title  and  rank  in  the  army  above  that  for  which  par  is  received. 


SCOTT  AXD  M'CLELLAX.  47 

tion  at  the  mercy  of  its  guns,  and  compelled  the 
surrender  of  the  garrison  of  three  thousand. 

The  rout  of  the  enemy  was  complete,  and  the  re- 
treating arrny  was  pursued  some  distance  along  the 
road  to  Jalapa  by  the  reserves  under  General  Worth. 
With  the  exception  of  a  small  body  of  cavalry,  the 
Mexican  forces  were  completely  dispersed  and  utterly 
disorganized.  With  but  eight  thousand  five  hundred 
effective  soldiers,  Scott  had  vanquished  more  than 
twelve  thousand  Mexicans ;  and  so  great  were  his 
captures  of  prisoners,  cannon,  and  military  stores, 
that  he  felt  completely  embarrassed  with  the  fruits 
of  his  victory. 

It  was  during  the  battle  of  Cerro  Gordo  that  Scott 
and  McClellan  first  met.  The  General  was  slowly 
toiling  up  the  mountain  on  foot,  leading  his  horse, 
when  he  beheld  a  young  officer,  almost  breathless 
from  exertion,  approaching  him.  This  was  Lieu- 
tenant McClellan,  who  had  been  busily  engaged 
spiking  some  guns,  and  who,  from  the  position  in 
which  he  was  placed,  had  been  an  eye-witness  of  the 
repulse  Pillow  had  sustained.  Noticing  General 
Scott  ascending  the  hill,  he,  upon  his  own  responsi- 
bility, hurried  to  the  commander  to  inform  him  of  the 
fact. 

"  Well,  never  mind  that  now,"  replied  Scott ;  "  we 
have  been  victorious  in  another  part  of  the  field,  and 
we'll  beat  them  yet.  But  you  go,  my  man,  and 
attend  to  them  yourself."  Upon  which  McClellan 


48  FIRST   EXPERIENCES    IN   THE    FIELD. 

scampered  back  to  his  guns,  arid  the  General  con- 
tinued his  ascent. 

The  old  hero  still  retains  a  vivid  recollection  of  this 
meeting,  and  a  short  time  ago  related  the  particulars 
to  a  gentleman,  by  whom  it  was  communicated  to  the 
author. 

The  immediate  results  of  the  victory  of  Cerro  Gordo 
were  the  possession  of  the  important  city  of  Jalapa, 
seven  leagues  distant,  to  which  the  American  columns 
pushed  rapidly  on,  and  entered  on  the  19th;  the 
abandonment  by  the  Mexicans  of  their  works  and 
artillery  at  La  Hoya,  the  next  formidable  pass  on 
the  road  to  the  capital ;  and  the  occupation  by  the 
Americans  of  the  strong  fortress  of  Perote,  with  its 
extensive  armament  and  its  large  supply  of  muni- 
tions of  war.  Garrisoning  these  places  by  the  way, 
Scott  marched  onward  with  his  victorious  army  into 
the  heart  of  the  enemy's  country,  the  door  of  which 
had  been  opened  by  the  capture  of  Cerro  Gordo. 
Worth,  leading  the  van,  entered  the  beautiful  city 
of  Puebla  on  May  12th,  after  he  had  vanquished 
at  Amosoque,  on  the  road,  three  thousand  Mexicans, 
under  the  leadership  of  their  commander-in-chief. 

In  warfare,  the  point  of  the  greatest  danger  is  ever 
the  place  of  the  greatest  honor.  It  is  evident  that 
that  point  and  that  place,  in  an  invading  army,  must 
be  at  the  head  of  the  column  most  in  advance.  In  the 
march  to  Puebla,  McClellan  and  his  daring  fellows 
remained,  as  they  heretofore  had  been,  the  pioneers  of 


REST    AT   PUEBLA.  49 

the  army.  They  were  the  first  to  enter  the  city  of 
Jalapa,  with  the  advance,  Twiggs's  Division, — 
the  first  to  enter  Puebla,  with  the  advance  division 
under  General  Worth.  They  thus  subjected  them- 
selves to  the  greatest  peril,  were  required  to  be  ever 
on  the  alert,  and  had  but  few  opportunities  of  re- 
freshing exhausted  nature,  except  by  a  hastily 
snatched  meal,  and  a  few  moments  of  disturbed 
sleep. 

Within  thirty-five  days  after  the  departure  from 
Yera  Cruz,  the  Americans  had  advanced  nearly 
two  hundred  miles,  through  several  of  the  most 
densely  peopled  and  loyal  departments  of  Mexico,  in 
the  direction  of  the  national  capital.  At  Puebla  the 
troops  encamped  on  the  western  side  of  the  city. 
Here  they  rested  for  about  ten  weeks,  whilst  re-en- 
forcements arrived  to  supply  the  place  of  many  of 
the  volunteers  whose  period  of  service  had  expired. 

During  this  respite  from  the  toils  of  active  ser- 
vice, McClellan  and  his  brother  officers,  ever  perse- 
vering, and  zealous  for  the  perfect  discipline  of  their 
command,  continued  the  instruction  of  the  engineer 
company  in  its  appropriate  studies  and  exercises. 
All  its  members  at  the  same  time  contributed  their 
labor  in  the  repairs  of  the  defences. 

The  pause  of  the  army  at  this  place,  tended 
materially  to  refresh  the  soldiers  after  their  severe 
struggle  find  long  march.  A  more  charming  spot 
could  scarcely  have  been  chosen  for  their  resting- 


50  FIRST   SXPEKIEXCES    IN   THE   FIELD. 

place.  Puebla — or  Puebla  de  los  Angelos,  "  the  city 
of  angels" — is  beautifully  situated  in  the  midst  of  a 
fruitful  plain,  bounded  by  mountains  and  shut  in  at 
the  west  by  gigantic  peaks.  Its  streets  are  broad, 
clean,  and  well  paved  ;  the  houses  large,  neat,  and 
cheerful;  and  the  bells  of  its  numerous  churches 
gladden  the  ear  with  their  musical  tones.  A  public 
walk,  shaded  by  rows  of  trees,  stretching  along  the 
banks  of  a  small  stream  in  the  outskirts,  and  an  ala- 
meda  of  exceeding  beauty,  close  to  the  extensive 
pile  of  San  Francisco  on  the  west,  form  pleasant 
promenades ;  whilst  in  the  centre  of  the  town  is 
found  a  large,  well-paved  public  square,  surrounded 
by  portals  or  arches  similar  to  the  Italian  city  of 
Bologna,  and  comprising  in  its  midst  a  massive 
cathedral,  whose  wealth  is  renowned  among  the 
Catholic  churches  of  America. 

An  incident  occurred  to  young  McClellan,  in  the 
vicinity  of  Puebla,  which  it  is  interesting  to  record. 
One  day  he  was  out  reconnoitring,  unattended,  and, 
when  about  twelve  miles  from  the  city,  suddenly 
discovered  a  tall  engineer  officer  of  the  Mexican 
army  advancing  towards  him.  Our  young  hero, 
nothing  daunted  by  the  discovery,  called  upon  his 
Mexican  friend  to  surrender ;  and  at  the  same  time 
the  tall  Mexican  demanded  the  surrender  of  the  little 
American,  whom  he  looked  upon  disdainfully,  and 
fancied  he  could  gobble  up  in  an  instant.  The 
gallant  West  Pointer  was,  however,  not  so  soon 


M'CLELLAN'S  PLUCK.  51 

to  be  vanquished,  and,  showing  fight,  a  hand-to-hand 
scuffle  ensued,  which  resulted  in  McClellan  collaring 
his  gigantic  opponent  and  conducting  him  into  camp. 
During  the  cessation  of  hostilities,  which  occurred 
while  the  army  was  encamped  at  Puebla,  overtures 
of  peace  were  made  to  the  Mexicans,  but  no  satisfac- 
tory terms  could  be  arranged, — the  latter  being  evi- 
dently desirous  of  gaining,  in  the  defences  around 
their  capital,  a  victory  which  would  compensate  them 
for  all  their  previous  losses,  and  restore  to  their 
arms  that  prestige  which  they  had  so  recently  lost. 


52  UPON  THE  PATH  OF  GLORY. 


CHAPTER    III. 

UPON   THE    PATH    OF    GLOEY. 

On  the  march  again — Obstacles  to  overcome — A  parallel  with  the 
past — The  Valley  of  Mexico — The  army  approaches  the  capi- 
tal— McClellan's  company  constructs  a  new  road — Base  of 
operations — McClellan  fired  upon  by  the  enemy,  and  loses  his 
horse — He  opens  the  battle — Takes  charge  of  the  howitzers. 
— Gallant  assault  of  Contreras — McClellan  makes  a  reconnois- 
sance — The  battle  of  Churubusco — McClellan  promoted  for  his 
bravery. 

ON  August  7th,  Scott  commenced  his  march  from 
Puebla  with  about  ten  thousand  men.  The  un- 
dertaking he  now  desired  to  achieve, — the  capture  of 
the  city  of  Mexico, — compared  with  the  means  at 
his  command,  was  one  of  unexampled  difficulty  and 
daring.  He  was  about  to  attempt  the  subjugation 
of  the  strongholds  and  almost  impregnable  places  of 
refuge,  to  which  the  defeated  generals  and  routed 
armies  of  the  enemy  had  retired  for  safety.  He 
desired  to  grasp  what  had  been  the  ancient  capital 
of  the  Aztec  empire,  was  afterwards  the  splendid  me- 
tropolis of  the  Spanish  viceroyalty,  and  then  the  capital 
of  a  republic  of  eight  millions  of  people,  who  were  not 
unpractised  in  war,  and  whose  strongly  defensive  posi- 
tions were  protected  by  all  the  modern  appliances  of 
military  science,  and  guarded  by  an  army  more  than 


PARALLEL    WITH    TIIE    PAST.  53 

three  times  the  number  of  that  which  the  American 
general  could  bring  into  the  field. 

A  wonderful  combination  of  superior  military  quali- 
ties •  in  the  commander,  coupled  with  disciplined 
valor  in  his  troops,  were  required  to  insure  success. 
Un  appalled  by  the  formidable  difficulties  and  dangers 
which  lay  before  it,  the  gallant  little  army  entered 
upon  this  most  perilous  enterprise  with  unfaltering 
confidence  and  determination. 

"  In  the  same  month,"  says  Brantz  Mayer,  "  three 
hundred  and  twenty-eight  years  before,  Hernando 
Cortez,  with  his  slender  military  train,  departed  from 
the  east  coast  of  Mexico,  on  the  splendid  errand  of 
Indian  conquest.  After  fighting  two  battles  with 
the  Tlascalans,  who  dwelt  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Puebla,  and  with  the  Cholulans,  whose  solitary  pyra- 
mid— a  grand  and  solemn  monument  of  the  past — still 
rises  majestically  from  the  beautiful  plain,  he  slowly 
toiled  across  the  steeps  of  the  grand  volcanic  sierra 
which  divides  the  valleys  and  hems  in  the  plain  of 
Mexico.  Patiently  winding  u£  its  wooded  sides,  and 
passing  the  forests  of  its  summit,  the  same  grand 
panoramic  scene  lay  spread  out  in  the  sunshine  at  the 
feet  of  the  American  general,  that,  three  centuries  be- 
fore, had  greeted  the  eager  and  longing  eyes  of  the 
greatest  Castilian  soldier  who  ever  trod  the  shore  of 
America." 

The  army  took  the  route  of  the  national  road,  until 
it  reached  the  valley  of  the  city  of  Mexico.  Twiggs's 


54  UPON  THE  PATH  OF  GLOJRY. 

Division  formed  the  van,  and,  as  was  usual,  McClellaa 
and  his  company  removed  obstacles  from  the  path  and 
piloted  the  way. 

The  valley  of  the  city  of  Mexico  comprises  a 
circle  of  about  fifty  miles  in  diameter,  upon  which 
the  eternal  Cordilleras  frown  down  in  all  their  tropi- 
cal grandeur.  Ten  volcanic  hills  which,  ages  ago, 
ceased  to  pour  forth  their  molten  lava,  numerous 
lesser  hills,  six  small  lakes,  and  ten  populous  cities 
and  towns,  are  situated  within  the  circumference  of 
this  valley.  The  capital  lies  near  its  western  edge, 
close  to  the  southwest  corner  of  the  largest  of  the 
lakes, — Lake  Tezcuco, — and  has  a  background  of 
mountains  that  approach  close  to  its  outer  walls. 

The  national  road,  by  which  Scott  was  expected 
to  arrive,  skirts  the  southern  border  of  Lake  Tezcuco. 
But  the  American  general  had  no  desire  to  approach 
the  capital  by  the  path  upon  which  the  Mexicans 
had  prepared  for  him  a  fiery  welcome.  A  few 
miles  south  of  this  lake  are  two  smaller  sheets  of 
water — Lakes  Chalco*  and  Xochimilco — lying  close 
together.  He  conceived  that  the  best  route  to 
the  city  would  be  by  making  a  detour  to  the  south 
of  these  two  lakes,  and  thus  reach  it  by  the  Aea- 
pulco  road.  This  road  runs 'a  little  distance  to  the 
west  of  the  lakes,  and  is  the  highway  from  the  capital 
to  the  Pacific  coast. 

On  the  llth  of  September,  the  advance  of  the 
army — Twiggs's  Division — reached  Ayotla,  a  small 


A    DETOUK.  55 

town  on  the  northern  side  of  Lake  Chalco,  and  within 
twenty  miles  of  the  capital.  Worth's  Division,  which 
followed,  took  position  near  the  village  of  Chalco, 
on  the  eastern  side  of  the  lake,  and  about  five  miles 
from  Ayotla.  The  rest  of  the  army  was  quartered 
between  these  two  places. 

To  the  surprise  of  his  officers,  the  commander 
ordered  the  city  to  be  approached  by  the  Acapulco 
road,  to  reach  which  it  was  necessary  to  take  the 
route  already  described.  A  bold  reconnoissance,  on 
the  12th,  discovered  the  formidable  works  prepared 
by  the  enemy  upon  the  national  highway,  and 
demonstrated  the  advisability  of  the  commanding 
general's  plan. 

From  the  relative  situation  of  the  various  divisions 
it  was  found  necessary  that  Worth's  should  take  the 
lead,  and,  as  a  matter  of  course,  McClellan  and  the 
engineer  company  were  transferred  to  it.  The  road 
that  had  to  be  passed  over  was  a  long  and  all 
but  deserted  pathway,  running  througk  olive  groves, 
and  quiet  little  villages  that  lay  embowered  in  the 
woods. 

As  this  road  was  almost  useless  for  the  passage  of 
an  army,  it  was  necessary  that  a  better  and  wider 
one  should  be  opened,  and  the  exertions  of  McClellan 
and  his  men  were  taxed  to  the  utmost  in  the  accom- 
plishment of  the  undertaking. 

On  the  afternoon  of  August  15th,  the  columns 
were  put  in  motion  upon  this  path,  and  after  two 


56  UPON  THE  PATH  OF  GLORY. 

days'  arduous  exertions,  they  struck  the  Acapuloo 
road  at  San  Augustin, 

There  was  some  little  skirmishing  on  the  way  with 
the  rancheros,  or  country  militia,  who  fired  down 
upon  the  troops  from  the  neighboring  crags.  A 
ditch  was  also  cut  across  the  road,  and  rocks  rolled 
into  it  from  the  impending  heights,  in  order  to 
obstruct  the  passage  of  the  advancing  army.  But 
the  engineer  company  set  to  work  to  clear  the  path, 
and  in  about  half  an  hour  removed  the  obstructions. 

The  enemy,  awaiting  the  arrival  of  the  Americans 
by  the  eastern  highway,  now  suddenly  found  them 
on  the  southern  road,  where  they  completely  turned 
the  line  of  defences  which  had  been  prepared.  ,, 

San  Augustin  was  within  nine  miles,  and  almost 
directly  south,  of  the  capital.  The  road  between  the 
two  places  was  but  partially  protected.  Upon  it 
were  the  villages  of  San  Antonio  and  Churubusco. 
Diverging  from  San  Augustin  to  the  left,  there  was 
a  small  road  leading  over  broken  ground  to  th6  vil- 
lage of  Contreras,  whence  it  continued  in  a  well-beaten 
track  through  San  Angel  to  the  capital.  On  the  right 
of  the  latter  road,  a  short  distance  after  leaving 
San  Augustin,  lay  a  field  of  lava,  more  than  two  miles 
in  length  and  a  mile  in  width,  which  could  only  be 
compared  to  a  tempestuous  sea,  that  had  been  by  the 
enchanter's  wand  suddenly  transformed  into  stone. 
On  the  left  of  the  same  road,  before  arriving  at  the 
village  of  Coutreras,  rose  the  heights  of  the  same 


OBSTACLES    IN   THE    WAY.  57 

name,  amid  a  mass  of  broken  volcanic  matter. 
West  of  these  two  roads  there  was  still  another 
highway,  called  the  Toluca  road,  which  passed 
through  the  village  of  Tacubaya,  and  approached 
the  city  by  the  heights  of  Chapultepec. 

Upon  discovering  the  movement  of  the  Americans, 
Santa  Anna  dispatched  General  Yalentia  with  the 
flower  of  his  army  to  the  heights  of  Contreras,  which 
partly  fortified  position  the  latter  hastily  prepared 
for  strong  resistance  ;  whilst  General  Rincon  occupied 
the  church  of  San  Pablo  at  Churubusco,  and  General 
Anaya,  by  extraordinary  exertions,  endeavored  to 
render  the  bridge  at  the  latter  place  impassable  to  the 
advancing  columns.  Santa  Anna,  at  the  same  time, 
threw  up  intrenchments  at  San  Angel,  between  Con- 
treras and  the  capital,  while  San  Antonio,  the  first 
position  in  front  of  Scott  on  the  main  road,  was  put 
in  possession  of  a  formidable  force. 

The  Americans  had,  therefore,  numerous  obstacles 
placed  before  them  on  every  path,  but  the  future 
proved  that  American  courage  was  able  to  overcome 
them  all. 

August  18th  was  busily  spent  in  making  recon- 
noissances,  and  the  duties  McClellan  had  to  fulfil  on 
that  day  were  arduous  and  important.  The  result 
of  the  discoveries  convinced  Scott  that  it  would  not 
be  advisable  to  approach  the  city  by  the  direct  road, 
as  San  Antonio,  the  first  point  on  that  line,  was 
found  to  be  only  accessible  over  a  long  narrow  cause- 
3* 


68  UPON  THE  PATH  OF  GLORY. 

way,  flanked  OD  the  east  by  impassable  ditches  and 
bogs,  and  on  the  west  by  the  field  of  lava.  He 
therefore  determined  to  reach  it  by  a  detour  to  the 
west;  and  to  accomplish  this,  it  was  necessary  to 
strike  the  first  blow  against  the  fortified  position  of 
Contreras. 

On  the  19th  Pillow's  Division  was  thrown  forward 
in  that  direction.  At  the  head  of  the  column  the 
engineer  company  prepared  the  path  leading  to  Con- 
treras for  the  transmission  of  artillery. 

McClellan,  being  in  advance,  suddenly  came  upon 
a  strong  picket  of  the  enemy,  which  fired  upon  him 
and  killed  his  horse. 

Twiggs's  Division  arrived  at  the  time  upon  the 
scene,  having  followed  along  the  road  that  had  been 
laboriously  opened  for  the  passage  of  the  army. 
The  general  immediately  ordered  forward  a  regiment 
of  rifles  to  attack  the  enemy,  and  Magruder's  battery 
was  conducted  into  action  and  placed  in  position  by 
McClellan. 

Although  the  latter  had  no  command  in  the  bat- 
tery, he  remained  with  it  during  the  conflict,  and 
rendered  valuable  assistance  in  directing  the  fire  of 
the  howitzers,  also  brought  into  play  near  the  same 
spot. 

General  Tvviggs,  in  his  official  dispatch,  mak(-s 
honorable  mention  of  the  name  of  Lieutenant  Geo-ge 
B.  McClellan,  for  "gallant  services"  performed 
by  that  young  officer  on  the  19th.  "  Lieutenant 


M'CLELLAX  AT  THE  GU:NS.  59 

G.  B.  McClellan,"  he  further  remarks,  "  after  Lieu- 
tenant Callender  was  wounded,  took  charge  of  and 
managed  the  howitzer  battery  (Lieutenant  Reno 
being  detached  with  the  rockets)  with  judgment 
and  success,  until  it  became  so  disabled  as  to  require 
shelter.  For  Lieutenant  McClellan's  efficiency  and 
gallantry  in  this  affair,  I  present  his  name  for  the 
favorable  consideration  of  the  General-in-Chief." 

Our  young  hero,  it  would  thus  appear,  was  instru- 
mental in  commencing  the  contest  for  the  occupation 
of  the  capital.  Not  more  than  five  of  Magruder's 
light  guns  could  be  brought  into  action,  as  it  was 
impossible  to  get  the  twelve-pounders  over  the  rocks. 
These  and  the  howitzers  were  opposed  by  twenty- 
two  well-manned  guns,  which  Valentia  brought  to 
bear  upon  them. 

Only  the  rifles  and  a  regiment  of  infantry,  with 
their  small  arms  could  assist  the  artillery,  for  it  was 
impossible  for  cavalry  to  form  amid  the  broken  vol- 
canic matter.  It  was  equally  impossible  successfully 
to  assail  the  enemy's  position  in  front,  the  way  being 
obstructed  by  an  impassable  ravine,  and  by  the  vast 
volcanic  plain  rent  in  many  places  by  deep  chasms  and 
fissures,  with  the  only  road  through  it  protected  by 
the  guns  of  the  enemy  on  the  heights,  who  appeared 
to  be  receiving  considerable  re-enforcements.  The 
contest,  after  three  hours'  conflict,  was,  therefore, 
abandoned. 

General  Persifor  F.  Smith, — who  commanded  the 


60  TTPOX    THE    PATH    OF    GLOKY. 

Second  Brigade  of  Twiggs's  Division,  and  who  had 
been  sent  forward  under  a  hot  fire  to  support 
Magruder's  and  Cullender's  batteries, — viewing  the 
nature  of  the  enemy's  position,  and  being  satisfied 
of  the  impossibility  of  capturing  it  from  the  front, 
determined  to  try  one  of  his  flanks.  As  he  was  at 
the  time  isolated  from  his  division  and  unable  to 
communicate  with  it,  he  acted  upon  his  own  respon- 
sibility. He  took  the  engineer  company  with  him  to 
reconnoitre  the  ground,  and  proceeded  to  the  right, 
as  in  that  direction  he  would  be  enabled  to  cut  off 
the  enemy's  retreat. 

Pillow,  by  a  happy  coincidence,  conceived  the 
same  idea  as  Smith,  and  dispatched  Cadwallader 
to  effect  a  lodgment  in  the  village  of  Contreras. 
Later  in  the  day  General  Scott,  being  upon  the  field 
of  operations,  approved  the  movements  of  Generals 
Smith  and  Pillow,  and  dispatched  other  troops  to  aid 
in  attacking  the  enemy's  intrenched  camp  in  the 
rear. 

It  was  after  sunset  before  all  had  arrived  in  the 
village,  General  Smith,  who  was  given  command  of 
the  expedition,  determined  to  approach  the  rear  of 
the  intrenchment  during  the  dark,  and  be  prepared 
to  assault  it  at  daybreak.  He  desired  General 
Shields,  who  also  entered  the  village  after  nightfall, 
to  hold  it  for  the  purpose  of  cutting  off  the  retreat 
of  the  Mexicans  after  their  camp  should  be  captured. 

That  night  a  pitiless  storm  burst  over  the  besieg- 


ASSAULT    OF    COXTREIiAS.  61 

iug  force,  whilst  a  vast  canopy  of  pitchy  darkness 
formed  its  only  covering.  Though  the  elements 
were  the  source  of  much  discomfiture  to  the  troops, 
they  were  remarkably  propitious  to  the  plans  of  the 
commander. 

Until  the  dawn  of  the  opening  day  the  soldiers 
either  lay  upon  their  arms  on  the  damp  ground,  or 
stood  chilled  by  the  drenching  rain,  but  with  then- 
hearts  burning  with  a  spirit  of  true  valor.  At  three 
o'clock  of  the  morning  of  the  20th,  the  columns 
were  again  put  into  motion.  The  brigades  of  Riley, 
Cadwallader,  and  Smith  approached  the  rear  of  the 
enemy's  batteries,  through  a  ravine,  which  sheltered 
them  from  view,  until  they  came  to  a  halt  within  a 
few  footsteps  of  the  Mexican  guns. 

"Charge!"  rang  through?  the  air,  breaking  the 
stillness  of  the  morning,  and  running  like  an  electric 
shock  through  the  surprised  enemy,  whose  attention 
at  the  time  was  concentrated  upon  the  opposite 
direction,  where  the  attack  had  been  made  on  the 
previous  day. 

Brief  and  bloody  was  the  struggle.  The  despera- 
tion of  despair  impelled  the  Mexicans  to  feats  of 
extraordinary  daring.  The  victory,  however,  was  not 
for  them.  A  few  moments  of  vain  resistance,  and 
then  Valentia's  entire  force  left  the  earthworks  and 
fled  towards  the  city. 

Then  Shields,  with  his  New  York  and  South  Caro- 
lina volunteers,  gave  the  Mexicans  a  warm  reception 


62  UPON  THE  PATH  OF  GLOKT. 

upon  the  highway,   where   a  network  of  cross  fire 
decimated  their  numbers  as  they  passed. 

The  engineer  soldiers,  under  Lieutenants  Smith, 
McClellan,  and  Foster,  together  with  the  rifles,  were, 
at  the  opening  of  the  attack,  thrown  across  the 
ravine  under  the  brow  of  the  slope,  and  swept  it 
from  this  position,  in  front.  Then  inclining  to  the 
left  they  joined  in  the  attack  on  the  troops  outside 
the  left  flank  of  the  fort. 

Thus  had  four  thousand  five  hundred  Americans, — 
the  entire  number  brought  into  action  at  Contreras, — 
vanquished  seven  thousand  Mexicans  under  Valentia, 
and  wrested  from  them  their  stronghold,  near  to 
which,  at  San  Angel,  twelve  thousand  more  under 
Santa  Anna,  were  at  the  time  in  reserve. 

Numerous  prisoners,  including  four  generals,  were 
taken.  Many  guns  and  a  vast  number  of  small  arms 
formed  the  trophies  of  the  victory,  and  one  road  to 
the  capital  was  cleared  of  its  obstructions.  To  the 
opening  of  the  other  highway  Scott  now  directed 
his  attention.  To  enable  him  to  accomplish  this,  he 
neither  gave  his  own  troops,  nor  those  of  the  enemy, 
a  moment  of  rest. 

Twiggs  and  Pillow  were  ordered  to  pursue  the 
flying  foe,  whilst  the  attention  of  the  remainder  of 
the  army  was  directed  against  the  strong  fort  of  San 
Antonio,  which  commanded  the  other  road.  Quit- 
man's  and  Worth's  Divisions  had  been  deployed  to 
aid  the  capture  of  Contreras  by  diverting  the  atten- 


CHURUBUSCO.  03 

tion  of  the  enemy  in  front,  but  from  the  rapidity  with 
which  the  place  had  been  taken,  the  action  was  over 
before  they  could  form  their  columns  in  the  stony 
field.  The  former  was  now  ordered  to  countermarch 
to  San  Augustin,  to  garrison  the  head-quarters  and 
depot,  whilst  the  latter  was  ordered  to  take  part 
hi  the  assault  upon  San  Antonio.  In  the  mean  time, 
the  enemy  had  learned  of  the  defeat  at  Contreras, 
and  had  commenced  to  withdraw  from  this  advanced 
position.  The  retiring  troops  were,  however,  cut 
in  two  by  the  rapid  movement  of  a  portion  of 
Scott's  infantry.  This  compelled  the  advance  to  fly 
to  Churubusco,  whither  it  was  pursued,  whilst  the 
rear,  comprising  about  two  thousand  men,,  retreated 
to  the  east.  The  Mexican  force,  under  Santa  Anna, 
at  San  Angel,  also  retired  upon  Churubusco,  against 
which  point  the  whole  strength  of  the  American  army 
was  now  concentrated. 

The  village  of  Churubusco  is  situated  upon  a  river 
of  the  same  name,  and  is  about  five  miles  distant  from 
Contreras.  It  had  been  strongly  fortified  and  garri- 
soned. The  bridge  which  crossed  the  river  had  been 
protected  by  heavy  batteries,  and  the  church  or  con- 
vent, a  formidable  stone  building,  four  hundred  and 
fifty  yards  west  of  the  bridge,  had  been  turned  into 
a  citadel,  with  outworks  and  lines  of  defence,  and 
gave  shelter  to  a  large  force.  At  this  point,  Santa 
Anna  collected  all  his  available  troops,  for  it  was  the 
last  position  of  the  outer  line  of  the  defence  of  the 


64          UPON  THE  PATH  OF  GLORY. 

capital,   and   it  was   necessary  to   hold  it  at  every 
hazard. 

We  have  just  left  one  portion  of  the  American 
army  moving  on  Churubusco  from  the  southward, 
with  the  routed  garrison  of  San  Antonio  flying  be- 
fore it.  Upon  its  first  arrival  at  the  bridge,  Twiggs's 
and  Pillow's  Divisions,  and  other  troops,  were  found 
to  be  already  engaged  assailing  the  church  and  forcing 
the  enemy's  lines. 

We  will  return  to  the  detachments  we  left  pressing 
the  retreating  Mexicans  who  had  been  vanquished 
at  Contreras.  The  direction  these  also  took  was 
towards  the  village  of  Churubusco.  The  engineer 
soldiers  accompanied  General  Smith's  Brigade  of 
Twiggs's  Division  in  this  movement.  About  one 
o'clock  of  the  day,  in  the  attack  upon  the  enemy's 
works  at  Churubusco,  these  engineers  were  ordered 
to  the  front,  to  intersect  the  road  from  San  Antonio 
to  Mexico,  in  order  to  cut  off  the  retreating  enemy. 

McClellan  was  directed  by  General  Twiggs  to 
move  upon  one  road,  whilst  Lieutenant  Stewart 
moved  forward  upon  another,  for  the  purpose  of 
ascertaining  the  position  of  a  battery  reported  to  be 
at  some  little  distance  in  front.  Both  officers  soon 
returned,  with  the  information  that  it  was  drawn 
up  before  the  convent,  the  roofs  and  steeples  of 
which  were  in  plain  view  of  the  head  of  the  column, 
and  about  seven  hundred  yards  distant  therefrom. 
The  roofs  were  covered  with  troops,  and  the 


A    RECONNOISSAXCE.  65 

battery  was  masked  by  intervening  trees  and  corn- 
fields. 

General  Twiggs  then  directed  McClellan  and  his 
brother  officers  to  make  a  second  reconnoissance, 
with  the  engineer  company  as  an  escort.  They  soon 
discovered  the  enemy's  forces  on  their  right,  and  on 
their  left,  and  on  their  front.  McClellan  speedily 
ascertained  that  the  American  troops  were  already 
engaged  in  the  front,  and  had  apparently  turned  the 
battery  and  the  convent  on  the  right.  Reporting 
the  same  to  General  Twiggs,  that  officer  ordered  for- 
ward a  regiment  of  artillery  to  support  the  rifles, 
who  were  then  in  action. 

Whilst  these  operations  were  in  progress,  and 
whilst  Twiggs  was  subsequently  attacking  the  church 
at  Churubusco,  the  American  forces  at  the  bridge 
assaulted  the  bastions  which  guarded  it.  The  con- 
flict was  spirited,  but  the  advance  was  steady.  In  an 
hour,  the  artillery,  which  played  with  wonderful 
precision,  had  sufficiently  breached  the  works  to 
enable  them  to  be  carried  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet. 
The  captured  guns  and  Duncan's  Battery  were  then 
immediately  turned  against  the  church,  which  stub- 
bornly withstood  Twiggs' s  assault.  The  loss  of  the 
bridge  soon  compelled  the  surrender  of  the  church, 
the  closing  scene  at  which  was  enacted  by  the  bay- 
onet and  the  sword.  The  Mexican  General  Rincon 
and  several  officers  and  men  fell  into  the  hands 
of  the  victorious  Americans  as  prisoners  of  war. 


66  UPON  THE  PATH  OP  GLORT. 

But  Contreras,  and  the  bridge  and  church  at  Churu- 
busco,  were  not  the  only  conquests  of  the  day.  To 
the  western  rear  of  the  latter  village,  Santa  Anna, 
who  commanded  the  field  forces  in  person,  had  mar- 
shalled an  army  of  seven  thousand,  nearly  one-half  of 
which  was  cavalry.  Here  Shields,  with  his  volun- 
teers of  New  York  and  South  Carolina,  side  by  side, 
led  on  to  the  charge.  Pierce,  and  Butler,  and  Colonel 
Harney  with  his  cavalry,  followed  to  the  fray.  And 
afterwards,  Worth's  and  Pillow's  men,  who  had 
forced  the  bridge,  rushed  along  the  highway  to  the 
conflict,  but  only  to  find  the  enemy  flying  before  the 
victorious  Shields,  who  alone  among  the  generals  was 
left  to  lead  the  victors — Butler  had  fallen,  and  Pierce 
*  had  fainted  from  exhaustion.  Captain  Kearney,  with 
his  dragoons,  chased  the  Mexicans  to  the  gates  of 
their  city,  and  another  road  to  the  capital  was  opened 
to  the  invading  army. 

Thus  closed  a  day  which  had  been  a  brilliant  one 
in  the  annals  of  American  prowess.  But  the  evening 
of  that  day  found  many  a  noble  heart  ready  to  burst 
with  grief.  Gallant  comrades  had  to  be  laid  under 
the  sod,  already  crimsoned  with  their  blood.  Volleys, 
fired  over  their  graves,  broke  the  stillness  of  the 
night ;  the  echoes  of  those  volleys  speedily  passed 
away,  but  the  memories  of  the  departed  heroes  still 
remain,  enshrined  in  the  hearts  of  many  a  brave 
survivor. 

McClellan  and  the  engineer  soldiers  had,  on  the 


LIEUTENANT   M'CLELLAN    CAPTURES    A    MEXICAN. 


PROMOTION.  67 

two  eventful  days  just  closed,  fulfilled  as  important 
duties  as  had  devolved  on  any  other  portion  of  the 
army.  Sheltering  themselves  behind  walls  and  in 
ditches,  these  brave  men  took  their  observations 
whilst  the  artillery  played  over  their  heads;  and 
upon  the  result  of  these  observations,  the  general,  to 
whose  division  they  were  at  the  time  attached,  was 
guided  in  the  distribution  of  his  troops. 

"The  cool  and  daring  gallantry"  of  McClellan 
was  especially  noticed  in  the  official  report  of  the 
operations  of  the  company,  and  brevet  rank  of  first 
lieutenant,  bearing  date  August  20th,  was  awarded 
to  him,  "  for  gallant  and  meritorious  conduct  in  the 
battles  of  Contreras  and  Churubusco." 


CHAPTER    IV. 

HONORS   WON. 

Armistice — Perfidy  of  the  Mexicans — The  heights  of  Chapul- 
tepec  described — Grandeur  of  the  scene — El  Molino  del  Key 
and  La  Casa  Mata — The  enemy  deceived — Capture  of  Chapul- 
tepec — The  final  struggle  for  the  city — Fierce  encounters — 
McClellan's  daring — Fighting  on  the  house-tops — McClellan 
the  first  to  penetrate  the  heart  of  the  city — Surrender  of  the 
capital — Mexico  Americanized — Honors  won  by  our  hero — 
Former  friends,  now  foes. 

THE  night  of  August  20th  was  a  tumultuous  one 
in  the  city  of  Mexico.  The  ministers  of  State  de- 
cided upon  asking  for  a  truce  to  the  hostilities.  An 
armistice  immediately  granted  by  Scott.  To  adopt 
the  language  of  the  subject  of  our  work,  that  general 
eral,  "  although  a  consummate  and  confident  com- 
mander, ever  preferred,  when  duty  and  honor  would 
permit,  the  olive-branch  of  peace,  to  the  blood-stained 
laurels  of  war."* 

Negotiations  for  peace  were  immediately  com- 
menced. The  persistent  perfidy  of  the  Mexicans, 
however,  induced  them  to  deviate  from  the  terms  of 
the  armistice,  and  to  increase  the  garrison  of  the  castle 
of  Chapultepec,  the  principal  defence  of  the  capital. 

*  General  McClellan's  speech,  at  the  dedication  of  the  site  of 
the  Battle  Monument.  West  Point,  June  15th,  1864. 


THE    ARMISTICE   TERMINATED.  69 

They  were  also  stated  to  have  collected  together  the 
bells  of  the  city,  and  to  have  forwarded  them  to  E 
Molino  del  Rey, — or  King's  Mill,  a  foundry  situated 
near  the  castle, — for  the  purpose  of  having  them  cast 
into  cannon.  This  statement,  however,  was  event- 
ually found  to  be  erroneous. 

Scott,  becoming  aware  of  the  treachery  of  his 
enemy,  on  the  7th  of  September,  declared  the 
truce  terminated,  and  commenced  operations  for  the 
continuance  of  the  struggle. 

During  the  armistice,  General  Scott  had  planted 
his  head-quarters  at  Tacubaya,  around  which  the 
American  forces  were  encamped.  Between  this 
village  and  the  city  of  Mexico  frowned  the  fortress 
of  Chapultepec,  situated  twelve  hundred  yards  from 
the  former  place,  and  two  miles  and  a  half  from  the 
city,  and  commanding  three  raised  causeways  which 
led  to  two  of  the  western  gates  of  the  capital.  One 
of  these  causeways  ran  from  Chapultepec  and  another 
from  Tacubaya  to  the  Belen  gate  ;  whilst  the  third 
connected  Chapultepec  with  the  gate  of  San  Cosine. 

As  this  stronghold  and  its  immediate  vicinity  was 
the  battle-ground  on  which  the  conquest  of  the  city 
was  to  be  achieved,  it  is  necessary  that  we  should 
give  some  slight  description  of  the  place  and  its  ap- 
proaches. 

Chapultepec, — an  Aztec  name,  which,  being  trans- 
lated into  English,  means  "  Grasshopper's  Hill," — 
is  a  lofty  rock,  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  high, 


70  HONOES   WO]*. 

upon  which,  in  days  of  yore,  the  Halls  of  Mon- 
tezuma  arose  in  all  their  princely  grandeur.  The 
Aztec  princes,  in  the  heats  of  summer,  retired  to 
this  lovely  mount,  where  the  air  was  cooled  by  the 
breezes  which  were  wafted  over  the  surface  of  the 
neighboring  lakes,  and  down  the  slopes  of  the  neigh- 
boring mountains.  This  spot  was  also  chosen  by 
the  Spanish  viceroys  for  their  residence,  as  they 
found  it  to  be  the  most  beautiful  in  the  valley  of 
Mexico.  The  remains  of  gardens,  groves,  and  grot- 
tos, still  lingered,  to  testify  to  the  ancient  magnifi- 
cence of  the  place.  Here  was  once  collected  every 
luxury  that  wealth  could  procure  and  art  devise. 
Here,  too,  nature  vied  with  art,  in  rendering  the  scene 
one  upon  which  the  most  fastidious  eye  could  gaze 
with  unalloyed  delight.  At  the  foot  of  the  hill, 
the  plain  extends  on  every  side  in  all  the  beauty  of 
extreme  cultivation,  whilst  a  belt  of  noble  cypresses 
encircles  its  immediate  base.  The  modern  palace 
erected  by  the  Viceroy  Galvez  surmounts  the  hill, 
and  commands  a  charming  prospect  over  the  valley 
and  lakes ;  a  girdle  of  gigantic  mountains  serving  as  a 
framework  to  the  picture. 

This  palace,  or  castle,  was  now  a  military  college, 
the  cadets  of  which  were  among  its  defenders.  The 
buildings  on  the  top  of  the  hill  were  strongly  forti- 
fied, and  the  base  was  nearly  surrounded  by  a  thick 
stone  wall.  On  the  north,  east,  and  south,  the  hill 
was  abrupt  and  rocky.  On  the  western  side,  or  that 


EL  MOLING   DEL   RET.  71 

farthest  from  the  city,  it  alone  seemed  to  permit  of 
any  approach.  Here  were  two  avenues  of  passage. 
On  this  side,  also,  down  the  slope,  was  a  dense  forest, 
and  here,  too,  were  formidable  defences. 

At  the  foot  of  this  slope  stood  El  Molino  del  Key, 
a  heavy  stone  structure,  very  strongly  garrisoned; 
and  four  hundred  yards  further  to  the  west  stood  La 
Casa  Mata,  another  strong  stone  building  used  as  a 
magazine.  From  this  latter  point  the  ground  gently 
ascended  to  Scott's  head-quarters  at  Tacubaya. 

To  gain  an  entrance  into  the  city  of  Mexico  by  its 
western  side,  it  was  positively  necessary  that  Cha- 
pultepec  should  first  be  possessed  ;  and  to  possess  it, 
it  was  necessary  to  open  the  way  by  the  capture  of 
La  Casa  Mata  and  El  Molino  del  Rey,  which  guarded 
the  ascent  to  the  heights.  Scott's  first  operation, 
therefore,  after  terminating  the  armistice,  was  to 
asault  these  two  positions. 

To  Worth's  Division  the  task  was  assigned.  As 
Scott  did  not  anticipate  much  resistance,  only  three 
thousand  two  hundred  and  fifty-one  men  were 
brought  into  action.  The  Mexicans,  however,  had 
thrown  into  the  positions  attacked  a  force  of  four- 
teen thousand,  ten  thousand  of  whom  were  held  in 
reserve  in  intrenched  lines.  Upon  these  lines  the  first 
attack  was  made  by  five  hundred  picked  men  ;  whilst 
another  detachment  was  directed  upon  the  mill,  to  cut 
it  off,  if  possible,  from  the  castle.  A  third  force  was 
advanced  against  La  Casa  Mata,  and  a  brigade  of 


72  HONORS    WON. 

voltigeurs  was  held  in  reserve  on  a  ridge  near  the 
centre.  The  Mexicans  were  commanded  by  Santa 
Anna  in  person. 

The  action  commenced  on  the  eighth,  at  day- 
break, by  the  artillery  opening  with  fearful  effect 
upon  the  mill;  after  which  the  assaulting  columns 
dashed  upon  the  lines,  driving  the  Mexicans  before 
them  and  seizing  their  field  battery.  But  the 
enemy,  observing  the  small  number  of  the  assail- 
ants, immediately  rallied,  attacked  the  Americans 
with  extreme  desperation,  and  after  calling  in  the 
reserve,  regained  the  battery.  A  regiment  of  the 
American  reserve  coining  to  the  rescue,  the  battery 
was  speedily  recaptured,  and  the  Mexicans  effectually 
routed. 

In  the  mean  time  El  Molino  del  Rey  was  carried  at 
the  point  of  the  bayonet  and  its  guns  turned  so  as  to 
enfilade  all  approaches  from  the  castle,  to  whose 
defences  the  garrison  retreated.  La  Casa  Mata 
proved  to  be  more  strongly  fortified  than  was  anti- 
cipated ;  it  made  a  desperate  resistance,  and  its  cap- 
ture cost  the  Americans  many  valuable  lives.  The 
defenders  being  finally  driven  out,  flew  in  great  tre- 
pidation up  the  hill,  and  joined  their  comrades. 

So  skilfully  had  the  Mexicans  masked  their  lines, 
that  Generals  Scott  and  Worth,  and  the  engineers, 
had  been  unable  to  detect  their  strength  ;  but,  never- 
theless, they  were  compelled  to  succumb  to  Ameri- 
can skill,  although  it  was  with  a  loss  to  the  assailants 


of  nearly  one-fourth  of  the  force  engaged.  On  the 
other  hand,  however,  eight  hundred  and  fifty  Mexi- 
cans were  taken  prisoners,  and  many  of  their  distin- 
guished officers  were  among  the  killed. 

The  next  movement  in  Scott's .  plan  of  attack  was 
the  occupation  of  the  heights  of  Chapultepec.  To 
enable  him  to  obtain  this  with  a  minimum  loss  of 
life,  he  had  recourse  to  a  feint,  which  had  for  its 
object  the  withdrawal  of  a  portion  of  the  enemy's 
forces  to  another  part  of  the  city.  He  therefore 
dismantle  1  and  destroyed,  and  then  deserted  the 
outworks  already  captured;  and,  on  the  llth, 
marched  a  portion  of  his  army  to  the  Acapulco 
entrance,  at  the  southern  outskirts  of  the  capital 
This  impressed  the  Mexicans  with  the  idea  that  he 
was  appalled  by  the  obstacles  which  disputed  his 
entry  into  the  city  by  its  western  gates,  and  that  he 
had  thereby  been  compelled  to  change  his  point  of 
attack.  Deceived  by  this  strategy,  the  enemy's  at- 
tention was  distracted  from  Chapultepec,  and  he 
withdrew  his  best  forces  to  protect  the  southern 
gates  which  were  evidently  now  threatened.  . 

Daring  the  darkness  of  the  night  of  the  llth,  two 
of  the  divisions  which"  menaced  the  city  on  the  south, 
and  one  of  which  had  arrived  there  during  the  day- 
time, were  countermarched  to  the  west.  A  small 
force  was,  however,  left  to  carry  on  the  game  of 
deception,  by  making  demonstrations  that  occupied 
the  attention  of  the  enemy. 
4 


74  HONORS   WON. 

The  next  day  batteries  opened  upon  Chapultepec. 
This  movement,  however,  led  the  Mexicans  to  antici- 
pate only  a  bombardment  of  the  castle ;  and  it  was  not 
until  the  greater  part  of  the  army  assaulted  the  heights, 
on  the  13th,  that  it  became  plain  to  Santa  Anna  he 
had  been  outmatched  by  Scott  in  the  game  of  strategy. 
The  night  of  September  the  llth  was  a  busy  one 
for  the  engineers.  From  sundown  to  dawn,  McCleL 
Ian  and  his  companions  were  employed  in  construct- 
ing batteries,  which  they  completed  early  the  follow- 
ing morning.  As  soon  as  these  were  finished,  cannon- 
ading was  commenced  and  kept  up  during  the  entire 
day.  Shot  and  shell  careered  through  the  air,  and, 
at  the  end  of  their  arched  journey,  tore  down  tho 
ramparts  and  the  walls,  or  burst  with  volcanic  fury 
over  the  doomed  castle.  At  nightfall  the  firing  was 
suspended,  and  the  troops  prostrated  themselves  by 
the  side  of  their  guns. 

On  the  succeeding  morning,  the  13th,  at  half-past 
five,  the  bombardment  was  renewed  with  vigor,  in 
order  that  a  pathway  might  be  opened  up  the  assumed 
impregnable  heights,  for  the  passage  of  the  valiant 
assailants,  who,  it  had  been  decided,  should  com- 
mence the  dangerous  ascent  at  eight  o'clock.  At  the 
latter  hour,  several  breaches  had  been  made  in  the 
walls,  and  the  signal  for  the  bayonet  assault  was 
given. 

Pillow's  and  Quitman's  Divisions  formed  the  as- 
sailing columns,  while  Worth's  was  detailed  to  the 


CAPTURE    OF   CHAPULTEPEC.  75 

northern  side  of  the  hill,  for  the  purpose  of  resisting 
the  approach  of  re-enforcements  from  the  city,  and  of 
cutting  off  retreat  from  the  castle.  Pillow's  troops 
rushed  from  El  Molino  del  Rey  on  the  west,  and 
with  inspiriting  cheers,  surmounted  every  obstacle. 
Quitman,  supported  by  Shields  and  Smith,  approached 
the  hill  from  the  southeast,  and  battery  after  battery 
was  speedily  silenced  by  their  heroic  followers. 
Shields,  with  the  volunteers,  filed  to  the  left,  and 
crossing  the  meadows,  reached  the  outer  court  of 
the  castle  along  with  Pillow's  men,  who,  rapid  and 
resistless  as  the  waters  of  a  cataract,  had  burst  over 
the  battlements  and  carried  all  before  them.  Dash- 
ing forward  to  the  heart  of  the  castle,  with  a  tre- 
mendous shout  of  triumph  they  ran  up  the  stars  and 
stripes,  the  sight  of  which  carried  dismay  to  the 
people  in  the  city  below,  and  led  them  to  give  up 
their  cause  as  hopeless.  Quitman  did  not  arrive  at 
the  castle  until  after  the  victory  had  been  gained. 
So  stubbornly  was  his  progress  resisted,  that  he  had 
been  compelled,  inch  by  inch,  to  cut  his  way  up  the 
hill. 

The  Mexican  General  Bravo,  with  a  thousand  other 
contestants,  were  taken  prisoners.  So  sudden  had 
been  the  rush  of  the  human  tide,  and  so  impetuously 
had  it  rolled  up  the  heights,  like  the  ocean's  waves 
upon  a  rocky  shore,  that  men,  stationed  to  spring  the 
mines,  were  either  dashed  down  by  its  progress,  or 
fled  from  its  approach. 


76  HONOES    WON. 

Worth's  soldiers  caught  up  the  cheer,  as  it  pealed 
forth  from  the  victorious  crowd  above,  and  echoed  it 
along  the  plain  below ;  whilst  Santa  Anna,  who  was 
still  watching  the  small  force  that  continued  to  play 
with  him  at  the  southern  gates,  in  amazement,  beheld 
the  American  colors  floating  from  the  castle  flag-staff, 
and,  awe-stricken,  heard  the  triumphant  cheer,  which 
sounded  to  him  like  the  knell  of  departed  power. 

All  the  Mexicans  who  escaped  from  the  garrison 
collected  on  the  plain  below,  and  attempted  to  hurry 
across  it  to  the  city.  Here  they  found  Worth 
ready  to  cut  off  their  retreat.  To  render  them  succor, 
Santa  Anna  dispatched  a  large  body  of  fresh  troops 
from  the  western  gates  of  Belen  and  San  Cosme. 
These  soon  became  engaged  with  Worth  in' close  and 
terrific  combat. 

General  Scott  reached  the  castle  almost  at  the  mo- 
ment of  victory,  and  from  its  ramparts  directed  the 
movements  of  his  army.  He  ordered  Quitman  by  a 
speedy  march  to  make  for  the  Belen  gate,  and  relieve 
Worth  by  diverting  from  him  a  portion  of  the  ene- 
my's forces  which  were  then  pressing  him.  The 
movement  was  rapid,  and  the  result  was  so  successful 
that  it  soon  enabled  Worth  to  gain  the  intrench- 
ments  on  the  causeway  leading  to  the  San  Cosme 
gate. 

Upon  this  road  were  situated  the  dwellings  of  a  fine 
suburb.  From  the  roofs  of  the  houses  the  Mexicans 
fired  upon  the  troops  with  deadly  aim.  But,  nothing 


FIGHTING    ON   THE    HOUSETOPS.  77 

daunted,  the  soldiers  marched  along  the  street  of 
San  Cosmo  toward  the  gate.  They  were  preceded 
by  the  engineer  company,  who,  with  axes  and  crow- 
bars, broke  open  doors  and  tore  down  walls,  and 
thus  forcibly  entered  the  houses  in  which  the  enemy 
were  posted,  and  from  the  roofs  and  windows  of 
which  they  were  pouring  forth  their  destructive  fire. 

McClellan  with  his  detachment  was  the  most 
prominent  in  this  daring  and  dangerous  work.  He 
scrambled  along  the  housetops  so  that  he  could  the 
better  reconnoitre  the  position  and  give  instruction 
to  the  troops  below.  He  seized  upon  suspicious  per- 
sonages and  made  them  captives.  He  had  many  a 
fierce  struggle  with  desperate  characters  who  dis- 
puted his  passage. 

During  a  portion  of  the  afternoon,  the  command 
of  the  entire  company  devolved  upon  the  young  sol- 
dier, while  his  superior  officer  was  absent  searching  for 
powder  for  the  purpose  of  destroying  the  buildings 
that  sheltered  the  desperadoes.  At  this  time,  while 
advancing  some  of  his  men  to  a  strong  position, 
McClellan's  progress  was  checked  by  a  large  force  of 
the  enemy,  with  whom  he  had  a  severe  engagement, 
which  lasted  a  considerable  time.  Although  opposed 
by  vastly  superior  numbers,  he  was  enabled  to  take 
advantage  of  the  position,  which  he  gained,  and 
eventually  to  drive  off  his  assailants,  after  more  than 
twenty  of  them  had  been  killed. 

Before  nightfall,  Worth  had  cleared  away  every 


78  HONORS    WON. 

obstruction  to  the  San  Cosme  gate,  and  that  evening 
rested  with  his  staff  within  the  city  walls. 

We  left  Quitman  marching  in  the  direction  of  the 
Belen  gate,  and  Scott  standing  upon  the  castle  height, 
from  which  elevated  position  he  could  view  the 
operations  of  the  troops  below,  and  mark  their  pro- 
gress along  the  roads  spread  out  before  him  like 
lines  upon  a  map.  The  commanding  general  directed 
Quitman  only  to  manosuvre,  so  that  he  could  divert 
the  enemy  from  Worth,  whilst  the  latter  fought  his 
way  into  the  city.  But  the  impetuosity  of  Quitman 
and  the  high  spirits  and  eagerness  of  his  men  could 
brook  no  restraint.  They  dashed  valiantly  on, 
capturing  a  battery  by  the  way,  and  by  two  o'clock 
had  pierced  the  city  border  at  the  Belen  gate. 
Within  this  gate  stood  a  strong  citadel  in  which 
Santa  Anna  had  taken  refuge.  This  edifice  was 
immediately  attacked  with  much  vigor,  but  with 
considerable  loss,  not  only  from  the  tremendous 
fire  which  poured  from  it,  but  also  from  the  mus- 
ketry of  many  Mexicans  who  had  taken  to  the 
housetops  and  the  windows.  Quitman,  however, 
held  his  ground.  He  had  been  the  first  to  enter  the 
capital,  and  was  determined  to  retain  his  prize. 
He,  therefore,  defended  his  position,  and  awaited  the 
coming  of  the  morrow  to  push  forward  to  the  great 
square,  unless  otherwise  directed  by  his  superior  in 
command. 

Though  Quitman  was  the  first  to  enter  the  fated 


FIRST   TO   PENETRATE   THE    CITY.  79 

city,  it  was  left  to  McClellan  to  be  the  first  to  pene- 
trate it  for  any  distance.  At  three  o'clock  the  fol- 
lowing morning,  the  latter  moved  with  a  party  of  his 
men  to  a  convent  in  advance  of  Worth's  troops  and 
found  it  unoccupied.  He  tnen  extended  his  researches 
to  the  Alameda,  a  beautiful  park  about  ten  acres  in 
extent,  which  formed  the  principal  pleasure  drive  of 
the  fairer  portion  of  the  citizens.  At  the  dawn  of 
the  day  he  reported  no  enemy  in  sight. 

The  rest  of  the  story  is  speedily  told.  At  four 
o'clock  of  the  morning  of  the  14th,  a  deputation  of 
the  city  council  waited  upon  General  Scott  to  sur- 
render the  capital,  just  as  the  army  was  in  motion 
for  the  renewal  of  the  combat.  The  Mexican  forces 
and  the  Mexican  Government  had  evacuated  it 
upon  the  previous  evening.  Nothing  now  remained 
for  the  victorious  army  but  to  make  a  triumphal 
entry  and  to  plant  the  American  standard  upon  the 
national  palace.  General  Scott  remained  in  pos- 
session of  the  capital  until  a  treaty  of  peace  was 
signed,  which  forever  severed  Texas  from  Mexico, 
and  gave  to  the  United  States,  by  purchase,  a  road 
to  the  Pacific,  through  what  afterwards  proved  to  be 
the  golden  gate  of  California. 

It  is  hardly  possible  at  the  present  time  to  believe 
that  so  great  a  conquest  could  be  achieved  with  an 
army  so  small  as  that  with  which  the  American 
general  finally  possessed  himself  of  the  city  of 


80  HONORS   WOX. 

Mexico.  The  entire  operating  force  that  took  part 
in  the  actions  of  September  12th  arid  13th,  was  but 
seven  thousand  one  hundred  and  eighty.  Deduct- 
ing from  these  the  wounded  and  the  men  detailed 
to  garrison  Chapultepec,  the  number  that  finally 
marched  into  the  conquered  capital  was  less  than  six 
thousand. 

These  seemed  to  vie  with  each  other  in  American- 
izing the  city.  In  every  quarter  the  eye  of  the 
passer  was  arrested  by  announcements  that  strongly 
reminded  him  of  the  sign-boards  and  placards 
he  had  been  accustomed  to  observe  in  the  cities 
of  the  United  States.  And  that  he  who  ran 
might  read  them  without  much  difficulty,  the 
largest  capitals  were  made  the  mediums  of  communi- 
cation. "Union  Hotel,"  "  Mush  and  Milk  at  all 
hours,"  "  American  Dry-goods,"  "  Egg-nog  and 
Mince-pies  for  sale  here,"  and  kindred  notices  inti- 
mated to  the  soldiers  of  the  army  of  occupation  where 
they  could  be  served  on  home  principles. 

In  the  Mexican  campaign  McClellan  wreathed  for 
himself  a  laurel  chaplet  he  may  well  be  proud  to 
wear.  The  leaves  added  to  it  in  each  successive 
field  were  more  brilliant  than  those  he  had  pre- 
viously gathered,  and  in  the  final  struggle  for  the 
Mexican  capital  he  completed  the  chaplet  with  one 
that  outshone  all  the  rest.  The  officer  in  command 
of  the  engineer  company  in  summing  up  his  glorious 
deeds  during  the  closing  conflict  of  the  campaign, 


GALLANTRY    BE  WARDED.  81 

concludes :  "  To  Lieutenant  McClellan,  of  the  en- 
gineer company,  I  am  indebted  for  most  importent 
services,  both  as  an  engineer  and  a  company  officer. 
His  daring  gallantry,  always  conspicuous,  was  never 
more  clearly  shown  than  upon  this  occasion.  Oper- 
ating most  of  the  time  separately,  I  relied  implicitly 
on  his  judgment  on  all  matters  where  I  was  not 
present  to  decide,  and  am  happy  to  say  that  the 
result  in  every  case,  justified  his  decisions." 

General  Scott,  in*his  official  report,  alludes  to  the 
services  of  the  engineer  officers,  and  remarks  of  five 
lieutenants  that,  "they,  like  their  captain,  won  the 
admiration  of  all  about  them."  The  name  of  that 
captain  was  Robert  E.  Lee,  arid  the  names  of  the 
five  lieutenants  were  Beauregard,  Stevens,  Tower, 
Gustavus  W.  Smith,  and  George  B.  McClellan. 
What  a  strange  mixture  of  names  this  appears  to 
be  at  the  present  time! 

McClellan  Avas  promoted  to  the  rank  of  brevet 
captain  under  date  September  8th,  "  for  gallant  and 
meritorious  conduct  in  the  battle  of  El  Molino  del 
Rey."  His  high  sense  of  honor,  however,  com- 
pelled him  to  decline  this  advancement,  as  he  had  not 
taken  an  active  part  in  that  engagement.  The  same 
rank  was  afterwards  tendered  to  him  for  his  intrepid 
deeds  in  the  final  scene  of  the  Mexican  drama. 
It  was  now  accepted,  and  was  awarded,  under  date 
September  13th,  1847,  "for  gallant  and  meritorious 

conduct  in  the  battle  of  Chapultepec." 
4* 


82  HONORS    WON. 

When  we  compare  the  history  of  the  pnst  with 
that  of  the  present,  it  is  sad  to  reflect,  that  many,  who 
in  Mexico  fought  valiantly  under  the  old  flag,  are 
now  arrayed  in  battle  against  the  loyal  sons  of 
America,  who  still  fight  gallantly  under  the  shadow 
of  its  folds.  McClellan,  in  the  speech  at  West  Point 
irom  which  we  have  already  quoted,  alludes  to  a 
black  veil  tha't,  in  the  Doge's  palace  at  Venice,  fills 
the  frame  wherein  should  hav^  hung  the  portrait  of 
Marino  Faliero,  convicted  of  treason  to  the  State, 
and  eloquently  remarks : 

"Oh!  that  such  a  pall  as  that  which  replaces 
the  portrait  of  Marino  Faliero  could  conceal  from 
history  the  names  of  those,  once  our  comrades,  who 
are  now  in  arms  against  the  flag  under  which  we 
fought  side  by  side  in  years  gone  by.  But  no  veil  can 
cover  the  anguish  that  fills  our  hearts  when  we  look 
back  upon  the  sad  memory  of  the  past,  and  recall 
the  affection  and  respect  we  entertained  toward 
men  against  whom  it  is  our  duty  to  act  in  mortal 
combat.  Would  that  the  courage,  ability,  and  stead- 
fastness they  displayed,  had  been  employed  in  the 
defence  of  the  Stars  and  Stripes,  against  a  foreign 
foe,  rather  than  in  this  fatuitous  and  unjustifiable 
rebellion,  which  could  not  be  so  long  maintained 
but  for  the  skill  and  energy  of  those,  our  former 
comrades." 


CHAPTER   Y. 

KOUGHING   IT   ON   THE   KED   RIVEK. 

Valorous  deeds  inscribed  on  the  roll  of  honor — McOlellan  leaves 
Mexico — Becomes  professor  and  author — Ordered  to  explore 
the  sources  of  the  Red  River — His  companions — The  start — 
Arrival  at  the  Red  River — Panther  hunt — Rush  of  water — 
Favorable  Omen — Visit  from  the  Witchitas — McClellan  traces 
the  hundredth  degree  of  west  longitude — The  Witchita  Moun- 
tains— Gold  discovered — McClellan  names  "  Mount  Webster." 
— Comanche  trail  —  How  Indians  travel  —  Boldness  of  the 
Delaware  guides — Buffalo  Chase — "Wolves  and  Ravens  making 
merry  —  McClellan  searches  for  the  Comanches — Mode  of 
encampment — A  few  words  about  beavers — Head  of  the  river 
discovered — Bottle  buried — Excursion  to  the  Canadian  River. 

npHOUGH  McClellan  was  one  of  the  youngest 
*•*•  of  the  American  officers  engaged  in  the  war  in 
Mexico,  he  had  proved  himself  to  be  one  of  the  bravest. 
It  almost  invariably  falls  to  the  lot  of  a  soldier  of  the 
rank  he  then  held  merely  to  obey  the  orders  of  his 
superiors.  In  this  campaign,  however,  the  young 
officer  was  ofttimes  so  situated,  that  he  was  com- 
pelled to  act  on  his  own  responsibility.  That  when 
so  placed  he  acted  well,  it  is  but  necessary  to  refer 
to  the  tribute  which  is  paid  to  the  discretion  and 
valor  he  exhibited  during  the  final  fight  for  the 
Mexican  capital. 

McClellan  studied  the  theory  of  war  whilst  he  was 


84  ROUGHING    IT    ON    THB    RED    RIVER. 

at  West  Point — in  Mexico,  however,  he  studied  it  in 
the  more  thorough  school  of  experience.  The  im- 
portant duties  required  of  the  company  of  engineers  to 
which  he  belonged,  gave  him  innumerable  oppor- 
tunities of  displaying  his  peculiar  talents,  whilst  the 
smallness  of  its  numbers  necessitated  the  perform- 
ance of  a  greater  amount  of  labor  than  usually  falls 
to  the  lot  of  a  lieutenant.  Always  in  the  front  when 
the  army  was  on  the  march  ;  always  under  the  cover 
of  the  enemy's  guns  when  preparations  were  being 
made  for  a  siege  ;  continually  making  the  most  daring 
reconnoissances ;  among  the  first  in  the  breach  of 
Cerro  Gordo ;  directing  and  handling  Callender's 
howitzers  like  an  experienced  artillerist  at  Contreras ; 
performing  the  most  perilous  exploits,  whilst  the  army 
was  penetrating  to  the  heart  of  the  Mexican  capital 
- — these  are  valorous  deeds  which  stand  chronicled 
upon  the,  roll  of  honor  to  the  credit  of  the  name, 
Lieutenant  George  B.  McClellan. 

It  cannot  then  be  wondered  that  all  those  who 
had  opportunities  of  witnessing  the  progress  of  the 
young  officer,  spoke  of  him  in  terms  of  the  highest 
praise,  and  that  competent  judges  pointed  him  out  as 
one  who  would  take  high  rank  in  his  profession, 
should  his  country  hereafter  require  his  services  in 
the  field. 

The  Engineer  Company,  having  performed  garrison 
duty  in  the  city  of  Mexico  for  eight  months  after  the 
capture,  left,  under  McClellan's  command,  May  23d, 


PROFESSOR   AltfD    AUTHOR.  85 

1848,  on  their  homeward  journey,  and  marched  by 
the  way  of  Orizaba  to  Vera  Cruz,  from  whence  they 
sailed  for  the  United  States,  and  arrived  at  West 
Point  on  the  twenty-second  of  June. 
•  The  year  and  a  half  which  McClelian  had  spent  in 
Mexico  had  been  crowded  with  eventful  occurrences, 
but  the  four  following  years  of  his  life  were  remark- 
ably barren  of  interest.  Upon  his  return  to  West 
Point,  the  engineer  company  was  detailed  for  the 
performance  of  such  duties  connected  with  the  corps, 
as  were  required  for  the  instruction  of  the  cadets, 
and  for  the  construction  of  permanent  fortifications. 
Captain  McClelian  now  became  a  field  professor,  for 
which  both  his  theoretical  and  practical  experience 
eminently  qualified  him.  He  remained  at  West 
Point  until  1851,  in  the  double  capacity  of  captain 
of  field  labors  and  instructor  of  bayonet  exercise. 
With  a  view  to  the  latter,  he  prepared  from  stand- 
ard French  authorities,  a  "Manual  of  Bayonet 
Exercises," — a  treatise  then  much  required,  and 
which  has  since  become  a  text-book  in  the  United 
States  army.  The  efficiency  of  his  instructions  in  this 
military  arm  has  been  duly  acknowledged  by  the 
service,  and  has  tended  considerably  to  render  it  an 
important  weapon  in  the  hands  of  the  soldier. 

In  the  summer  and  fall  of  1851,  McClelian  was 
engaged  in  the  superintendence  of  the  construction 
of  Fort  Delaware,  under  Major  John  Sanders. 

For  three  ye'ars  previous  to  1852,  Captain  Ran- 


86  ROUGHING   IT   ON   THE    BED   EIVER. 

dolph  B.  Marcy,  of  the  Fifth  United  States  Infantry, 
had  been  occupied  in  exploring  the  country  lying 
upon  the  Canadian  river  of  the  Arkansas,  and  upon 
the  head-waters  of  the  Trinity,  Brazos,  and  Colorado 
rivers  of  Texas.  On  the  fifth  of  March,  1852,  he 
was  instructed  by  the  War  Department  to  continue 
his  researches,  and  "  to  make  an  examination  of  the 
•Red  river  and  the  country  bordering  upon  it,  from 
the  mouth  of  Cache  creek  to  its  sources." 

Captain  McClellan  was  assigned  to  duty  with  this 
expedition,  with  instructions  upon  the  completion  of 
the  field  service,  to  report  to  Brevet  Major-General 
Smith,  the  commander  of  the  Eighth  Department. 

Until  that  time,  the  district  to  be  explored  had  re- 
mained unknown  to  the  civilized  world,  no  white 
man  having  ascended  the  stream  to  its  head. 
The  only  knowledge  on  the  subject  had  been  derived 
from  Indians  and  semi-civilized  Indian  traders,  and 
of  course  was  of  an  indefinite,  unsatisfactory  char- 
acter. 

At  different  periods,  both  before  and  after  the 
acquisition  of  the  territory  from  the  French,  and  up 
to  1852,  enterprising  and  experienced  travellers 
had  attempted  an  examination  of  the  country  em- 
braced within  the  basin  of  the  upper  Red  river,  but 
failed  to  succeed  in  reaching  the  sources.  They  had 
invariably  been  led  astray  by  the  Indians,  wrho 
applied  the  term  "Red  River,"  to  each  of  the  many 
ruddy  streams  which  flow  in  that  region,  and  thus, 


COMPANIONS.  87 

after  incessant  toil,  discovered,  at  the  close  of  their 
labors,  that  they  had  been  tracing  the  course  of  some 
rirer,  different  to  that  which  they  had  intended  to 
survey. 

Captains  Marcy  and  McClellan's  expedition  was 
instructed  not  only  to  solve  the  mystery  of  the  river's 
birthplace,  but  to  explore  the  land  which  lay  on 
either  side  of  its  banks,  as  it  travelled  from  its  rugged 
mountain  source  to  the  fertile  prairies,  that  em- 
braced it  as  it  passed  onward  to  the  ocean.  Lieu- 
tenant Updegraff  and  Doctor  Shumard  formed  part 
of  the  expedition,  and  Captain  J.  H.  Strain  and  Mr. 
J.  R.  Suydam  accompanied  it  in  an  unofficial  capacity. 
Fifty-five  soldiers  of  Captain  Maroy's  company  formed 
the  escort,  and  five  Indians  served  as  interpreters, 
guides,  and  hunters. 

Captain  Marcy's  company  was  stationed  at  Fort 
Belknap,  upon  the  Brazos  river,  and  from  that  place 
the  expedition  started  on  the  2d  of  May,  and  on  the 
13th,  reached  the  point  where  Cache  creek  falls 
into  the  Red  river,  at  which  place  the  exploration 
was  to  commence.  The  pioneers  were  detained  here 
one  day  for  the  arrival  of  the  supply  train  from 
Preston,  Texas,  and  two  more  for  the  falling  of  the 
water  in  the  creek,  which  had  been  swollen  by 
recent  rains.  Crossing  the  creek  on  the  morning  of 
the  16th,  the  route  pursued  was  upon  a  good  road, 
over  a  smooth  high  prairie.  In  the  course  of  the  day 
the  first  Indian  signs  were  observed  hi  several  horse 


88  ROUGHING   IT    ON   THE   KED    RIVER. 

tracks  which  crossed  the  path.  The  Witchita  moun- 
tains soon  came  in  view,  situated  some  twenty-five  or 
thirty  miles  to  the  north,  and  formed  a  very  striking* 
and  prominent  feature,  rising,  as  they  do,  upon  the 
naked  prairie. 

For  several  days  the  course  of  the  expedition  lay 
upon  high  ground  a  few  miles  to  the  north  of  the 
Red  river,  which  stream  was  occasionally  visited  by 
Captains  Marcy  and  McClellau,  for  the  purpose  of 
taking  observations.  The  tedium  of  the  journey 
was  enlivened  on  the  I7th,  after  the  animals  had 
been  turned  out  to  grass,  and  the  party  was  re- 
posing very  quietly  after  the  fatigue  of  the  day's 
march,  by  the  arrival  in  camp  of  one  of  the  hunters 
with  the  information  that  a  panther  had  crossed  a 
creek  at  a  place  not  far  distant,  and  was  coming 
towards  the  party.  No  little  excitement  was  created 
in  the  quiet  circle  by  this  startling  intelligence. 
Muskets,  rifles,  and  whatever  weapons  came  to  hand, 
were  instantly  seized,  and,  followed  by  all  the  dogs  in 
camp,  a  general  rush  was  made  towards  the  spot 
indicated  by  the  Delaware.  On  reaching  the  place 
the  animal  was  easily  tracked  by  the  water  that 
had  dripped  from  him  after  he  had  crossed  the  creek. 
The  noses  of  the  dogs  were  applied  to  the  trail,  but 
neither  coaxing,  cheering,  scolding,  nor  any  canine 
argument  could  convince  them  there  was  any  work 
of  importance  to  accomplish.  However,  an  old  bear 
dog  belonging  to  the  party  coming  up,  soon 


PANTHER   HUNT.  89 

sniffed  the  game,  and  suddenly  stopping,  raised 
his  head  into  the  air,  sent  -forth  a  prolonged  note, 
and  then  started  off  in  full  cry  upon  the  trail,  fol- 
lowed by  the  other  dogs,  who  took  courage  from  the 
presence  of  the  old  one.  The  men  immediately 
followed,  cheering  them  on,  and  shouting  most  lustily, 
each  anxious  to  get  the  first  glimpse  of  the  pan- 
ther. They  soon  roused  him  from  his  lair,  and  after 
making  a  few  circuits  around  the  grove  in  which 
they  found  him,  he  took  to  a  tree.  Captain  Marcy 
was  the  first  to  reach  the  place.  He  fired  a  shot  at 
the  animal,  and  brought  him  to  the  ground,  when 
the  dogs  closed  in  upon  him.  The  rest  of  the  party 
then  came  up,  and  likewise  firing,  the  panther  soon 
lay  lifeless  upon  the  sward. 

At  the  close  of  the  labors  of  the  day  on  the  18th,  a 
curious  phenomenon  occurred  which  it  is  interesting 
to  mention.  The  exploring  party  encamped  upon  a 
small  affluent  of  Cache  creek,  where  on  their  arrival 
no  water  was  to  be  found  except  in  occasional  pools 
along  the  bed.  However,  in  the  course  of  an  hour 
some  of  the  men  who  had  gone  a  short  distance  up 
the  creek  came  running  back  into  camp,  crying  at  the 
top  of  their  voices :  "  Here  comes  a  plenty  of  water 
for  us,  boys !"  And,  indeed,  in  a  few  minutes,  much 
to  the  astonishment  and  delight  of  all, — for  they  were 
doubtful  about  obtaining  a  supply, — a  perfect  torrent 
came  rushing  down  the  dry  bed  of  the  rivulet,  filling 
it  to  the  top  of  the  banks,  and  continued  running, 


90  ROUGHING  IT   ON  THE   BED    RIVER. 

turbid  and  covered  with  froth,  as  long  as  the  party 
remained.  The  Dela wares  regarded  this  as  a  special 
favor  from  the  Great  Spirit,  and  looked  upon  it  as  a 
good  omen  for  the  success  of  the  enterprise.  It 
was  a  most  inexplicable  phenomenon,  as  the  weather 
for  the  past  three  days  had  been  perfectly  dry  and 
the  sky  cloudless.  If  the  stream  had  been  of  much 
magnitude,  the  natural  conclusion  might  have  been 
that  the  water  came  from  a  distance  where  much 
rain  had  fallen,  but  it  was  very  small,  extending 
not  more  than  three  miles  above  the  place  of  encamp- 
ment. 

Heavy  rain  came  on  the  same  night  and  continued 
for  several  days,  considerably  impeding  the  party  in 
its  progress.  Deer  and  antelopes  were  found  in 
great  abundance,  and  grouse  and  quail  were  occa- 
sionally seen.  Buffalos  also  began  to  be  met  with, 
and  were  killed  by  the  hunters  for  the  sustenance  of 
the  explorers. 

Captain  McClellan  had  the  misfortune,  on  the 
21st,  to  break  his  mountain  barometer,  which  he  had 
brought  thus  far  in  safety.  By  some  provoking 
accident,  it  was  turned  over  in  his  tent,  and  the 
mercurial  tube  destroyed.  Fortunately  he  had  a 
smaller  barometer  with  him,  which  he  was  com- 
pelled to  use  during  the  remainder  of  the  journey. 

On  the  23d  of  May,  a  halt,  lasting  for  six  days, 
was  made  upon  the  banks  of  a  fine  running  stream, 
at  a  short  distance  from  its  confluence  with  the 


VISIT   FKOM   THE   WITCHITAS.  91 

northern  fork  of  the  Red  river,  and  about  fifteen 
miles  above  the  point  where  two  branches  of  the 
river  join.  This  delay  was  caused  by  the  water  in 
Otter  creek,  the  name  given  by  Captain  Marcy  to  the 
lesser  stream,  being  too  high  to  admit  of  a  safe 
crossing.  Whilst  sojourning  at  this  place,  a  visit 
Was  received  from  a  hunting  party  of  Witchitas 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  in  number,  who  had 
learned  of  the  coming  of  the  explorers,  and  were 
desirous  of  having  "a  talk"  with  the  "captain,"  for 
the  purpose  of  ascertaining  what  business  had  brought 
the  strangers  to  their  country.  Some  information  was 
obtained  from,  and  some  presents  were  distributed 
among  the  Indians,  which  latter  they  acknowledged 
in  their  customary  style — by  begging  for  every  thing 
else  they  saw. 

These  Indians  gave  a  very  gloomy  account  of  the 
district  the  expedition  proposed  to  survey,  and  en- 
deavored to  dissuade  the  explorers  from  continuing 
their  journey.  The  description,  however,  afterwards 
proved  to  be  a  very  erroneous  one,  as  the  country 
possessed  none  of  the  difficulties  and  dangers  the 
Indians  had  foreshadowed. 

Otter  creek  was  crossed  on  May  29th,  and  the 
course  continued  along  the  eastern  side  of  the  north 
fork  of  the  river.  Upon  this  day  Captain  McClellan 
was  absent  from  the  party,  for  the  purpose  of  tracing 
the  meridian  of  the  hundredth  degree  of  west  longi- 
tude to  where  it  strikes  Red  river.  At  that  point  a 


92  ROUGHING   IT    ON   THE    RED    RIVER. 

cottonwood  tree,'  which  stood  about  fifty  feet  from 
the  water,  upon  the  summit  of  a  sand  hill,  was  blazed 
by  him  on  four  sides  with  the  following  inscrip- 
tions :  Upon  the  north  side,  "  Texas,  100°  longitude;" 
upon  the  south  side,  "Choctaw  nation,  100°  longi- 
tude;" upon  the  east  side,  "Meridian  of  100°,  May 
29th,  1852;"  and  upon  the  west  side,  Captain 
Marcy's  name  and  the  date.  He  also  marked  one 
of  four  similar  trees,  which  stood  at  the  base  of  the 
sand  hill,  "  Texas,"  and  upon  another  he  inscribed, 
"  20  miles  from  Otter  creek." 

For  a  couple  of  days  after  leaving  Otter  creek,  the 
expedition  passed  along  the  base  of  the  southwest 
end  of  the  Witchita  chain  of  mountains,  which  runs 
for  sixty  miles  in  a  southeasterly  direction  from  this 
point.  Specimens  of  black  quartz  and  black  sand 
collected  in  the  mountains  were  discovered  to 
contain  small  quantities  of  gold,  similar  to  that 
found  in  California.  On  June  1st,  a  very  prominent 
and  symmetrical  mountain,  which  had  been  visible 
for  twenty  miles  upon  the  route,  and  formed  a 
most  excellent  landmark,  was  ascended  by  several 
gentlemen  connected  with  the  expedition,  for  the 
purpose  of  making  barometrical  observations.  Its 
altitude  was  ascertained  to  be  seven  hundred  and 
eighty  *feet  above  the  base.  Captain  McClellan 
named  it  "Mount  Webster,"  in  honor  of  our  great 
statesman,  and  chiseled  the  names  of  some  of  the 
party  upon  a  rock  directly  at  the  summit. 


HOW   INDIANS   TRAVEL.  93 

After  passing  through  a  rough  and  tortuous  gorge, 
the  party  descended  into  a  plain  where  they  found 
the  river  *  again  divided  into  two  nearly  equal 
branches.  Leaving  the  southern  one,  which  flowed 
directly  from  the  west,  they  continued  their  journey 
along  the  northern  branch.  Proceeding  amid  beau- 
tiful and  majestic  scenery  and  over  charming  glades 
clothed  with  luxuriant  sward,  the  expedition,  on 
June  3d,  crossed  to  the  western  bank  of  the  north 
fork.  Hence  they  proceeded  in  a  northwesterly 
direction,  over  a  very  elevated  and  undulating 
prairie,  capturing  deer  by  the  way.  The  explorers 
recrossed  the  river  on  the  fifth.  In  their  journey 
during  the  two  previous  days,  they  had  cut  off  a 
bend  of  the  stream;  consequently,  when  they  re- 
crossed  it,  they  were  on  its  northern  bank.  On 
June  6th,  they  came  upon  the  trail  of  a  large  party 
of  Comanches,  which  the  guide  reported  to  have 
passed  two  days  before,  going  south.  The  Indians 
appeared  to  have  been  travelling  with  their  families. 
Upon  a  war  expedition  they  leave  the  latter  be- 
hind, and  never  carry  lodges,  encumbering  them- 
selves with  as  little  baggage  as  possible.  On  the 
other  hand,  when  travelling  with  their  families, 
they  always  carry  all  their  wordly  effects,  including 
their  portable  lodges,  wherever  they  go ;  and  as 
they  seldom  find  an  encampment  upon  the  prairies 
where  poles  for  the  frame-work  of  the  lodges  can  be 
procured,  they  invariably  transport  them  from  place 


94  ROUGHING   IT    ON   THE    BED   11IVEB. 

to  place,  by  attaching  them  to  each  side  of  the  pack- 
horses,  with  one  end  trailing  upon  the  ground. 
These  leave  parallel  marks  upon  the  soft  earth  after 
they  have  passed,  and  enable  persons  at  once  to 
determine  whether  the  trail  is  made  by  a  war-party 
or  otherwise. 

Though  for  the  past  year  an  unfriendly  feeling 
had  existed  between  the  Comanches  and  the  Dela- 
wares,  the  guides  were  not  afraid  to  go  out 
alone  on  their  hunting  excursions,  frequently  to 
the  distance  of  seven  or  eight  miles  from  the  camp. 
Should  they,  on  these  occasions,  have  met  with  any 
of  their  enemies,  they  would  have  been  compelled 
to  act  upon  the  defensive,  as,  from  being  poorly 
mounted,  they  would  have  found  it  difficult  to 
escape.  The  bold  fellows  declared  that  they  were 
not  afraid  to  meet  any  of  the  prairie  Indians,  pro- 
vided the  odds  were  not  greater  than  six  to  one. 

On  the  morning  of  the  Yth  of  June,  whilst  Captain 
Marcy,  with  two  of  the  Indians,  were  about  three 
miles  in  advance  of  McClellan  and  the  rest  of  the 
party,  they  struck  a  fresh -buffalo  track,  which  they 
followed  in  the  hope  of  coming  up  with  the  animal. 
Approaching  an  eminence  upon  the  prairie,  one  of 
the  Indians,  named  John  Bull,  was  sent  to  the  top, 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  distant,  to  look  out  for  the 
game.  He  had  no  sooner  gained  the  summit  than  he 
made  a  signal  for  his  two  companions  to  join  him,  by 
riding  round  rapidly  several  times  in  a  circle,  after 


BUFFALO    CHASE.  95 

which  he  started  at  full  speed  over  the  hill.  Captain 
Marcy  and  the  other  Indian,  upon  reaching  the  crest 
of  the  hill,  discovered  the  terrified  animal  fleeing  at  a 
most  furious  pace,  with  John  Bull  in  hot  pursuit, 
about  five  hundred  yards  behind  him.  As  the  cap- 
tain followed  on  down  the  slope,  he  had  a  fine  view 
of  the  chase.  The  Delaware  was  mounted  upon  a 
most  fractious  and  spirited  horse  that  had  never  seen 
a  buffalo  before.  On  coming  near  the  animal  the 
horse  was  perfectly  frantic  with  fear,  and  made 
several  desperate  starts  to  the  right  and  left,  any 
one  of  which  must  have  evidently  unseated  his  rider, 
had  he  not  been  a  very  expert  and  skilful  horseman. 
During  the  time  that  the  horse  was  thus  plunging 
and  making  efforts  to  escape,  John  was  not  only  able 
to  control  him  with  masterly  adroitness,  but  seizing 
an  opportunity,  discharged  his  rifle  at  the  buffalo, 
and  broke  one  of  the  fore-legs,  which  somewhat 
retarded  his  speed.  The  animal,  however,  still  kept 
on,  making  good  running,  and  it  required  all  the 
strength  of  the  horses  ridden  by  Captain  Marcy  and 
the  other  Indian  to  bring  them  up  to  him.  But 
before  they  arrived,  John  reloaded  his  rifle,  and  had 
placed  its  contents  directly  behind  the  shoulder  of 
the  buffalo.  Still,  so  tenacious  of  life  was  the  latter, 
that  it  was  not  until  the  other  Delaware  and  Captain 
Marcy  arrived  and  gave  him  four  additional  shots 
that  he  was  brought  to  the  ground.  The  best  part 
of  the  flesh  being  packed  upon  the  horses  for  food, 


96  HOUGHING    IT    ON   THE    RED    RIVER. 

the  •aptain  and  his  companions  proceeded  ID 
search  of  good  water  near  which  they  could  next 
encamp,  and  for  which  purpose  they  had  set  out. 
Having  discovered  a  sp ring-brook,  they  returned  to 
their  friends,  and  on  the  way  back  discerned  a  pack 
of  wolves  with  a  multitude  of  ravens  making  merry 
over  the  carcass  of  the  buffalo  they  had  killed. 

Being  desirous  of  making  inquiries  of  the  Co- 
manches  concerning  the  onward  route,  and  thinking 
they  might  possibly  have  encamped  within  a  few 
miles  of  the  explorers,  Captain  McClellan,  accom- 
panied by  an  interpreter,  proceeded  the  same  day  in 
search  of  them.  After  going  about  fifteen  miles,  he 
found  one  of  their  camps  that  had  been  abandoned 
two  days  previous ;  and  then,  as  there  appeared  to  be 
no  prospect  of  overtaking  them,  he  returned,  having 
first  ascertained  that  they  were  travelling  in  a  south- 
erly direction  toward  the  Brazos  river. 

It  may  be  interesting  to  describe  the  usual  method 
of  encampment,  adopted  by  Captains  Marcy  and 
McClellan  during  their  expedition.  They  usually 
chose  the  inside  of  the  curve  of  a  creek,  within  which 
the  wagons  and  tents  were  placed  in  a  semicir- 
cle, uniting  at  each  extremity  with  the  creek.  A 
large  circular  space  was  hereby  enclosed  sufficient 
for  the  command,  protected  on  one  side  by  the  creek, 
and  upon  the  other  by  the  line  of  wagons  and  tents. 
Immediately  upon  reaching  the  encamping  ground, 
all  the  animals  were  turned  out  to  graze  under 


COLONY    OF   BEAVEES.  97 

charge  of  teamsters,  who  were  armed  and  remained 
constantly  with  them,  keeping  them  as  near  the 
command  as  the  supply  of  grass  admitted.  It  was 
customary  to  commence  the  day's  march  about  three 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  to  terminate  it  by  eleven 
o'clock ;  this  gave  ample  time  for  the  animals  to 
graze  before  night,  when  they  were  driven  into 
camp.  The  horses  and  mules  were  picketed  in  the 
enclosure,  whilst  the  oxen  were  tied  up  to  the 
wagons.  Sentinels  were  then  posted  upon  each 
side  of  the  encampment,  and  kept  constantly  walking 
in  such  directions  that  they  could  have  the  animals 
continually  in  view. 

The  course  taken  after  crossing  to  the  north  side 
of  the  river  was  in  a  westerly  direction,  and  cool 
and  bracing  winds  tended  considerably  to  the  com- 
fort of  the  travellers.  Fresh  Indian  trails  were 
crossed,  which  from  the  absence  of  lodge  poles  were 
pronounced  to  have  been  made  by  war  parties.  One 
of  the  guides  also  observed  four  Indians  upon  a  hill 
in  the  distance,  taking  a  look  at  the  explorers,  but  * 
upon  seeing  him  they  immediately  turned  away  and 
galloped  off. 

Near  the  place  where  Captain  McClellan  and  his 
companions  encamped  on  June  12th,  a  community  of 
beavers  had  selected  a  spot  upon  a  creek  for  their 
wonderful  labors  and  habitations.  The  description  of 
these  marvellous  animals,  given  in  the  Report  of  the 
exploration  of  the  Red  river  is  so  remarkably  interest- 


98  ROUGHING    IT    ON   THE    RED    RaVE.1l. 

ing,  that  we  are  sure  our  readers  will  thank  us 
for  inserting  it  here.  Its  author  says :  "I  know  of  no 
animal  concerning  which  the  accounts  of  travellers 
have  been  more  extraordinary,  more  marvellous  or 
contradictory,  than  those  given  of  the  beaver.  By 
some  he  is  elevated  in  point  of  intellect  almost  to  a 
level  with  man.  He  has  been  said,  for  instance,  to 
construct  houses,  with  several  floors  and  rooms ;  to 
plaster  the  rooms  with  mud  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
make  smooth  walls,  and  to  drive  stakes  of  six  or 
eight  inches  in  diameter  into  the  ground,  and  to  per- 
form many  other  astounding  feats,  which  I  am 
inclined  to  believe  are  not  supported  by  credible 
testimony.  Laying  aside  these  questionable  state- 
ments, there  is  quite  sufficient  in  the  natural  history 
of  the  beaver  to  excite  our  wonder  and  admiration. 
For  instance,  at  this  place,  upon  an  examination  of 
the  dam  they  have  constructed,  I  was  both  aston- 
ished and  delighted  at  the  wonderful  sagacity,  skill, 
and  perseverance  which  they  have  displayed.  In  the 
selection  of  a  suitable  site,  and  in  the  erection  of  the 
structure,  they  appear  to  have  been  guided  by  some- 
thing more  than  mere  animal  instinct,  and  have 
exhibited  as  correct  a  knowledge  of  hydrostatics, 
and  the  action  of  forces  resulting  from  currents  of 
water,  as  the  most  scientific  millwright  would  have 
done. 

"  Having  chosen  a  spot  where  the  banks  on  each 
side  of  the  creek  were  narrow  and  sufficiently  high 


ABOUT    BEAVERS.  99 

to  raise  a  head  of  about  five  feet,  they  selected  two 
cotton-wood  trees  about  fifteen  inches  in  diameter, 
situated  above  this  point,  and  having  an  inclination 
towards  the  stream ;  these  they  cut  down  with  their 
teeth  (as  the  marks  upon  the  stumps  plainly  showed), 
and,  floating  them  down  to  the  position  chosen  for 
the  dam,  they  were  placed  across  the  stream  with  an 
inclination  downward,  uniting  in  the  center.     This 
formed  the  foundation  upon  which  the  superstruc- 
ture of  brush  and  earth  was  placed,  in  precisely  the 
same  manner  as  a  brush-dam  is  made  by  our  mill- 
wrights, with  the  bushes  and  earth  alternating  and 
packed  closely,  the  butts  in  all  cases  turned  down 
the  stream.     After  this  is  raised  to  a  sufficient  height, 
the  top  is   covered  with  earth,  except  in  the  centre, 
where  there  is  a  sluice  or  waste-wier,  which  lets  off 
the  superfluous  water  when  it  rises  so  high  as  to 
endanger  the  structure. 

"  In  examining  the  results  of  the  labors  of  these 
ingenious  quadrupeds,  it  occurred  to  me  that  the 
plan  of  erecting  our  brush-dams  must  have  been, 
originally  suggested  from  witnessing  those  of  the 
beavers,  as  they  are  very  similar.  I  watched  for 
some  time  upon  the  banks  of  the  pond,  but  could  see 
none  of  the  animals.  I  presume  they  think  we  make 
too  much  noise  in  owr  camp  to  suit  them,  and  deem 
it  most  prudent  to  remain  concealed  in  their  sub- 
marine houses. 

"  I  observed  one  place  above  the  pond  where  they 


100  ROUGHING    IT    ON    THE    BED    RIVER. 

had  commenced  another  dam,  and  had  progressed  so 
far  as  to  cut  down  two  trees  on  the  opposite  sides  of 
the  creek ;  but  as  they  did  not  fall  in  the  right  direc- 
tion to  suit  their  purposes,  the  work  was  abandoned." 

The  explorers  were  now  approaching  the  source 
of  the  north  branch  of  the  Red  river,  and  after 
passing  over  a  sandy  soil,  on  June  15th  they 
crossed  to  the  southern  side  of  the  stream,  a  few 
miles  below  its  rise.  On  the  following  day  they 
reached  the  head  of  this  branch.  It  was  discovered 
in  a  deep  gorge  among  high  bluffs  which  rose  to  an 
elevation  of  three  hundred  feet,  and  terminated  at 
the  top  in  a  perfectly  level  plain,  termed  the  Llano 
JEstacado,  or  Staked  Plain.  A  grove  of  large  cotton- 
wood  trees  was  found  near  to  the  spot  where  the 
water  showed  the  earliest  signs  of  life,  and  first 
became  a  running  stream.  Under  the  roots  of  one 
of  the  trees  which  stood  near  the  river,  and  below 
all  the  others  in  the  grove,  a  bottle  was  imried  con- 
taining the  following  memorandum  : 

"  On  the  16th  day  of  June,  1852,  an  exploring 
expedition,  composed  of  Captain  R.  B.  Marcy,  Cap- 
tain G.  B.  McClellan,  Lieutenant  J.  Updegraff,  and 
Dr.  G.  C.  Shumard,  with  fifty-five  men  of  Company 
D,  Fifth  Infantry,  encamped  here,  having  this  day 
traced  the  north  branch  of  Red  river  to  its  sources. 
Accompanying  the  expedition  were  Captain  J.  H. 
Strain,  of  Fort  Washita,  and  Mr.  J.  R.  Suydam,  of 
New  York  city."  The  tree  was  also  blazed  on  the 


DISTANCE   TRAVELLED.  101 

north  and  east  sides,  and  marked  upon  the  north  side 
with  a  pencil  as  follows:  "Exploring  Expedition, 
June  16th,  1852." 

Captain  McClellan  and  a  greater  part  of  the  expe- 
dition remained  for  three  days  at  .this  point,  until 
Captain  Marcy  and  a  small  party  made  an  excursion, 
twenty-five  miles  to  the  north,  for  the  purpose  of 
visiting  the  Canadian  river,  which  had  been  ascended 
by  Captain  Marcy  in  1849,  and  it  was  calculated 
would  be  found  at  that  distance.  They  had  the 
satisfaction  of  ascertaining  this  calculation  w,-is  cor- 
rect— a  source  of  much  congratulation,  as  it  verified 
the  accuracy  of  their  survey. 

The  distance  which  the  expedition  had  already 
travelled  was,  from  Fort  Belknap  to  the  mouth  of 
Cache  creek,  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles,  and 
from  the  latter  point  to  the  head  of  the  north  fork 
of  the  Red  river,  two  hundred  and  thirty-seven 
miles — making  a  total  of  three  hundred  and  fifty- 
seven  miles. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

PEAIEIE  -DOG-TOWN   BIVEE    EXPLOBED. 

Southward  bound  —  "McClellan's  Creek"  —  Remarkable  mirage  — 
Source  of  the  Salt  Fork  —  Indian  battle-ground  —  Prairie-Dog- 
Town  —  Immense  population  —  Domestic  arrangements  of  the 
animals  —  A  surprise—  McClellan's  encounter  with  a  panther  — 
Deer-bleat  —  Nauseous  water  —  Extreme  thirst"  —  Sickness  — 
Value  of  iced  drinks  —  Head  of  the  river  —  Magnificent  scenery 

—  Bears  —  Panther  shot  —  Homeward  journey  —  Catching  a  Tartar 

—  "Mount  Scott"  —  Romantic  valley  —  Deserted  Indian  villages 

—  Beauty  of  their  position  —  Waco    and   Witchita  villages  — 
False  rumors  of  the  massacre  of  McClellan  and  his  companions  — 
Bargaining  for  a  prisoner  —  Arrival  at  Fort  Arbuckle  —  Return 
home  —  McClellan's  services  warmly  acknowledged. 


head  of  the  north  branch  of  the  Red  river 
-*-  having  been  discovered,  it  next  became  the 
duty  of  Captains  Marcy  and  McClellan,  and  the  ex- 
ploring expedition  under  their  command,  to  search  for 
the  source  of  the  southern,  or  principal  branch.  The 
Indians  call  this  latter  "Ke-che-a-qui-ho-no,"  or  Prai- 
rie-dog-town river  —  a  title  doubtless  given  to  it  on 
account  of  the  number  of  prairie-dog  towns  found 
in  its  vicinity. 

On  June  20th,  the  pioneers  left  the  head  of  the 
north  branch,  where  they  had  rested  three  days,  and 
turned  their  steps  in  a  southerly  direction. 


"  M'CLELLAN'S  CREEK."  103 

After  proceeding  twelve  miles  on  the  first  day's 
journey,  the  expedition  reached  the  valley  of  a  very 
beautiful  stream,  twenty  feet  wide  arid  six  inches  in 
depth,  running  rapidly  over  a  gravelly  bed.  This 
valley  was  about  a  mile  wide,  with  large  cotton- 
wood  trees  growing  along  the  banks  of  the  stream. 
Captain  Marcy  says,  in  his  report:  "I  have  called 
this  'McClellan's  creek,1  in  compliment  to  my  friend 
Captain  McClellan,  whom  I  believe  to  have  been  the 
first  white  man  that  ever  set  eyes  upon  it."  The 
water  of  the  creek  was  pure  and  palatable. 

A  remarkable  atmospherical  phenomenon  was  wit- 
nessed the  same  day  upon  the  "Llano  estacado,"  or 
plateau,  over  which  the  travellers  were  now  journey- 
ing. We  will  describe  it  in  the  words  of  the  Report : 

"During  the  middle  of  the  day,  when  the  earth 
and  the  adjacent  strata  of  air  had  become  heated  by 
the  almost  vertical  rays  of  the  sun,  we  observed, 
as  usual,  upon  the  'Llano  estacado,'  an  incessant 
tremulous  motion  in  the  lower  strata  of  the  atmos- 
phere, accompanied  by  a  most  singular  and  illusive 
mirage.  This  phenomenon,  which  so  bitterly  deluded 
the  French  army  in  Egypt,  and  has  been  observed  in 
many  other  places,  is  here  seen  in  perfection. 

"The  very  extraordinary  refraction  of  the  atmos- 
phere upon  these  elevated  plateaus,  causes  objects 
in  the  distance  to  be  distorted  into  the  most  wild 
and  fantastic  forms,  and  often  exaggerated  to  many 
times  their  true  size.  A  raven,  for  instance,  would 


104  PRAIRIE-DOG-TOWN  RIVER  EXPLORED. 

present  the  appearance  of  a  man  walking  erect ;  and 
an  antelope  often  be  mistaken  for  a  horse  or  buffalo. 
In  passing  along  over  this  thirsty  and  extended  plain 
on  a  warm  day,  the  eye  of  a  stranger  is  suddenly 
gladdened  by  the  appearance  of  a  beautiful  lake, 
with  green  and  shady  groves  directly  upon  the 
opposite  bank.  His  heart  beats  with  joy  at  the 
prospect  of  speedily  luxuriating  in  the  cool  and 
delicious  element  before  him,  and  he  urges  his  horse 
forward,  thinking  it  very  strange  that  he  does  not 
reach  the  oasis.  At  one  time  he  imagines  that  he 
has  made  a  sensible  diminution  in  the  distance,  and 
goes  on  with  renewed  vigor  and  cheerfulness ;  then 
again  he  fancies  that  the  object  recedes  before  him, 
and  he  becomes  discouraged  and  disheartened.  And 
thus  he  rides  for  miles  and  miles,  and  still  finds  him- 
self no  nearer  the  goal  than  when  he  first  saw  it — 
when,  perhaps,  some  sudden  change  in  the  atmos- 
phere would  dissipate  the  illusion,  and  disclose  to 
him  the  fact  that  he  had  been  following  a  mirage/' 

On  their  way,  the  explorers  surveyed  the  source 
of  the  central  branch  of  the  Red  river,  or  Salt  Fork, 
.the  junction  of  which  with' the  North  Fork,  it  will 
be  remembered,  was  passed  shortly  after  they  com- 
menced to  ascend  the  latter  stream.  The  course  of 
this  branch  was  not  explored,  but  the  travellers 
traced  it  from  the  point  where  it  was  now  struck  to 
the  head. 

A  deserted  Indian  encampment  was   discovered, 


A    CANINE    CITY.  105 

where  a  battle  had  obviously  been  fought  not  two 
months  before.  The  evidence  of  this  was  found  in  the 
remains  of  a  large  fire  in  which  the  victors  had  piled 
up  and  burnt  the  lodges  and  effects  of  the  vanquished, 
and  in  unconsumed  articles  pertaining  to  Indian  do- 
mestic economy  that  lay  scattered  around. 

The  route  for  some  days  lay  among  high  bluffs, 
after  which  it  descended  into  the  valley  of  the  south- 
ern branch  of  the  river.  This  valley  is  populous  with 
prairie  dogs.  The  road  for  a  whole  day  would  pass 
through  a,  continuous  dog  town,  and  the  travellers 
were  often  obiiged  to  turn  out  of  their  course  to 
avoid  the  mounds  that  lay  about  the  burrows. 
Captain  Marcy  thus  describes  one  of  these  canine 
cities : 

"  In  passing  along  through  these  villages  the  little 
animals  are  seen  in  countless  numbers  sitting  upright 
at  the  mouths  of  their  domicils,  presenting  much 
the  appearance  of  stumps  of  small  trees ;  and  so 
incessant  is  the  clatter  of  their  barking,  that  it 
requires  but  little  effort  of  the  imagination  to  fancy 
oneself  surrounded  by  the  busy  hum  of  a  city. 

"The  immense  number  of  animals  in  some  of 
these  towns,  or  warrens,  may  be  conjectured  from 
the  large  space  which  they  sometimes  cover.  The 
one  at  this  place  is  about  twenty-five  miles  in  the 
direction  through  which  we  have  passed  it.  Sup- 
posing its  dimensions  in  other  directions  to  be  the 
same,  it  would  embrace  an  area  of  six  hundred  and 
5* 


106  PRAIRIE-DOG-TOAVN  RIVEK  EXPLORED. 

twenty-five  square  miles,  or  eight  hundred  and 
ninety-six  thousand  acres.*  Estimating  the  holes  to 
be  at  the  usual  distance  of  about  twenty  yards  apart, 
and  each  burrow  occupied  by  a  family  of  four  or  five 
dogs,  I  fancy  that  the  aggregate  population  would 
be  greater  than  any  other  city  in  the  universe. f 

"This  interesting  and  gregarious  little  specimen 
of  the  mammalia  of  our  country,  which  is  found 
assembled  in  such  vast  communities,  is  indigenous 
to  the  most  of  our  far  western  prairies,  from  Mexico 
to  the  northern  limits  of  the  United  States,  and  has 
often  been  described  by  travellers  who  have  been 
upon  the  plains.  But  as  there  are  some  facts  in 
relation  to  their  habits,  which  I  have  never  seen 
mentioned  in  any  published  account  of  them,  I  trust 
I  shall  be  pardoned  if  I  add  a  few  remarks  to  what 
has  already  been  said.  In  the  selection  of  a  site  or 
position  for  their  towns  they  appear  to  have  a  regard 
to  their  food,  which  is  a  species  of  short,  wiry  grass, 
growing  upon  the  elevated  plains,  where  there  is 
often  no  water  near.  I  have  sometimes  seen  their 
towns  upon  the  elevated  table-lands  of  New  Mexico, 
where  there  was  no  water  upon  the  surface  of  the 
ground  for  twenty  miles,  and  where  it  did  not  seem 

*  The  number  of  acres  here  given  is  incorrect.  The  square 
miles  mentioned  would  only  contain  four  hundred  thousand  acres. 

\  A  single  dog  town  of  the  size  named,  with  an  average 
of  five  members  to  each  family,  would  be  inhabited  by  twenty- 
five  millions  two  hundred  thousand  dogs,  being  a  number  equal 
to  more  than  three-fourths  the  population  of  the  United  States. 


HABITS    OP    PKAIRIE-DOGS.  107 

probable  that  it  could  be  obtained  by  excavating  to 
the  depth  of  a  hundred  feet.  This  has  induced  me 
to  believe  that  they  do  not  require  that  element 
without  which  most  other  animals  perish  in  a  short 
time. 

"As  there  are  generally  no  rains  or  dews  during 
the  summer  months  upon  the  plains  where  these 
towns  are  found,  and  as  the  animals  never  wander 
far  from  home,  I  think  I  am  warranted  in  coming  to 
the  conclusion  that  they  require  no  water  beyond 
that  which  the  grass  affords  them.  That  they  hyber- 
nate  and  pass  the  winter  in  a  lethargic  or  torpid  state 
is  evident,  from  the  fact  that  they  lay  up  no  susten- 
ance for  the  winter,  and  that  the  grass  around  their 
holes  dries  up  in  the  autumn,  the  earth  freezes  hard 
and  renders  it  utterly  impossible  for  them  to  procure 
food  in  the  usual  manner. 

"  When  the  prairie-dog  first  feels  the  approach  of 
the  sleeping  season  (generally  about  the  last  days  of 
October),  he  closes  all  the  passages  to  his  dormitory 
to  exclude  the  cold  ^iir,  and  betakes  himself  to  his 
brumal  slumber  with  the  greatest  possible  care. 
He  remains  housed  until  the  warm  days  of  spring, 
when  he  removes  the  obstructions  from  his  door  and 
again  appears  above  ground  as  frolicsome  as  ever. 

"  I  have  been  informed  by  the  Indians  that  a  short 
time  before  a  cold  storm  in  the  autumn,  all  the  prairie- 
dogs  may  be  seen  industriously  occupied  with  weeds 
and  earth,  closing  the  entrances  to  their  burrows. 


108  PRAIRIE-DOG-TOWN  RIVER  EXPLORED. 

They  are  sometimes,  however,  seen  re-opening  them 
while  the  weather  is  still  cold  and  stormy,  but  mild 
and  pleasant  weather  is  always  certain  to  follow. 

"It  appears,  therefore,  that  instinct  teaches  the 
little  quadrupeds  when  to  expect  good  or  bad 
weather,  and  to  make  their  arrangements  accord- 
ingly. A  species  of  small  owl  is  always  found  in 
the  dog-towns,  sitting  at  the  mouths  of  the  holes 
when  not  occupied  by  the  dogs;  whether  for  the 
purpose  of  procuring  food,  or  for  some  other  object, 
I  do  not  know.  They  do  not,  however,  as  some 
have  asserted,  burrow  with  the  flogs ;  and  when 
approached,  instead  of  entering  the  holes,  they  in- 
variably fly  away.  It  has  also  been  said  that  the 
rattlesnake  is  a  constant  companion  of  the  dog ;  but 
this  is  a  mistake,  for  I  have  sometimes  passed  -for 
days  through  the  towns  without  seeing  one.  They 
are,  however,  often  seen  in  the  holes  in  company  with 
the  dogs,  and  it  has  been  supposed  by  some  that  they 
were  welcome  guests  with  the  proprietors  of  the 
establishments ;  but  we  have  satisfied  ourselves  that 
this  is  a  domestic  arrangement  entirely  at  variance 
with  the  wishes  of  the  dogs,  as  the  snakes  prey  upon 
them,  and  must  be  considered  as  intruders.  They 
are  probably  attracted  to  the  burrows  for  the  pur- 
pose of  procuring  food,  as  one  snake  which  we  killed 
was  found  to  have  swallowed  a  full-grown  dog." 

On  June  27th,  the  southern  branch  of  the  Red 
river  was  reached  at  a  point  where  it  was  nine  hun- 


A  SURPRISE.  109 

dred  yards  wide,  flowing  over  a  sandy  bed  and  with 
little  water  in  the  channel.  The  river  was  here  lined 
upon  each  side  by  rugged  bills  and  deep  gullies. 

June  28th,  as  Captain  McClellan  and  his  colleague, 
Captain  Marcy,  were  passing  under  the  bluffs,  they 
noticed  in  advance  of  them  a  herd  of  antelopes  feed- 
ing among  some  mezquite  trees.  The  idea  irnme- 
"diately  occurred  to  the  latter  of  attempting  to  call 
them  with  a  deer-bleat,  which  one  of  the  Delawares 
had  made  for  him.  Captain  Marcy  accordingly  ad- 
vanced several  hundred  yards  to  near  the  crest  of  a 
hill  which  afforded  a  fair  view  of  the  animals ;  and 
very  deliberately  seating  himself  upon  the  ground, 
screened  from  their  observation  by  the  tall  grass, 
he  took  up  the  bleat  and  commenced  exercising  his 
powers  in  imitation  of  the  fawn's  cry. 

Captain  Marcy  soon  succeeded  in  attracting  the 
attention  of  the  antelopes,  and  in  a  short  time  de- 
coyed one  of  the  unsuspicious  animals  within  the 
range  of  his  rifle.  Taking  deliberate  aim,  he  was 
in  the  act  of  pulling  the  trigger,  when  his  attention 
was  suddenly  and  most  unexpectedly  arrested  by  a 
rustling  in  the  grass  to  his  left.  Casting  his  eyes  in 
that  direction,  he  with  no  small  astonishment  saw  but 
twenty  steps  distant  a  tremendous  panther  bounding 
at  full  speed  towards  him. 

Abandoning  the  antelope,  as  may  be  imagined, 
Captain  Marcy  immediately  directed  his  rifle  at  the 
panther  and  sent  a  ball  through  his  chest,  which 


110  PRAIRIE-DOG-TOWN  RIVER  EXPLOHLfD. 

stretched  him  upon  the  grass  at  ten  yards  from 
where  he  had  taken  his  position.  Impressed  with 
the  belief  that  he  had  accomplished  a  feat  of  rather 
more  than  ordinary  importance  in  the  sporting  line, 
the  Captain  placed  his  hands  to  his  mouth,  a  la 
sauvage,  and  gave  several  shouts  of  exultation  as 
loud  as  his  weak  lungs  would  permit,  partly  for 
the  purpose  of  giving  vent  to  his  feelings  of  tri- 
umph, and  partly  with  the  object  of  calling  Captain 
McClellan,  who  had  remained  with  the  horses  at  some 
distance  in  the  background. 

As  McClellan  did  not  hear  the  call,  Captain  Marcy 
went  for  him,  and  upon  returning  to  the  place  where 
the  panther  had  been  shot,  they  discovered  the  animal 
on  his  feet  and  making  off.  Captain  McClellan  im- 
mediately gave  him  the  contents  of  his  rifle,  and 
then  closing  clubbed  him  with  the  butt  end.  It  re- 
quired, however,  several  vigorous  blows  to  finish 
him. 

The  panther  was  a  large  specimen  of  the  species 
known  as  the  North  American  cougar,  and  measured 
eight  feet  from  the  nose  to  the  end  of  the  tail.  He 
had  probably  heard  the  bleat,  and  was  hastening 
towards  it  with  the  pleasant  anticipation  of  -break- 
fasting  upon  a  tender  fawn. 

The  deer-bleat  is  used  extensively  by  the  Dela- 
wares  in  their  hunting  excursions,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  enticing  the  animals  towards  them.  It  is 
somewhat  similar  to  the  first  joint  of  a  clarionet, 


THE  DEER-BLEAT.  Ill 

with  a  brass  reed  adjusted  in  such  a  manner,  that, 
when  sounded,  it  imitates  almost  precisely  the  cry 
of  the  young  fawn.  As  will  be  seen  in  Captain 
Marcy's  case,  its  use  requires  great  precaution  on 
the  part  of  the  hunter, — the  bear,  the  wolf,  and  the 
panther  often  answering  to  the  sound. 

The  travellers  having  ascended  the  river  eight 
miles  above  the  point  where  they  first  struck  it,  found 
that  the  rocky  character  of  the  country  rendered  it 
impossible  for  the  wagons  to  proceed  to  the  head- 
waters. Therefore,  the  main  body  of  the  command 
was  left  on  June  29th,  under  charge  of  Lieutenant 
Updegraff,  whilst  Captains  Marcy  and  McClellan, 
with  a  small  escort  of  ten  men,  proceeded  to  explore 
the  stream  to  its  source.  They  took  with  them  pro- 
visions for  six  days  packed  on  mules.  The  water 
they  were  compelled  to  drink  during  a  portion  of 
the  expedition  was  so  nauseating  that  it  produced 
sickness  of  the  stomach,  attended  with  loss  of 
appetite  and  the  most  raging  and  feverish  thirst. 
This  thirst  increased  the  desire  for  the  water, 
which,  in  turn,  added  to  instead  of  alleviated  their 
sufferings.  As  the  result  of  drinking  the  repul- 
sive fluid,  several  of  the  party  were  taken  with 
violent  cramps  in  the  stomach  and  vomiting.  Yet 
they  did  not  murmur,  but,  on  the  contrary,  were 
cheerful,  and  indulged  in  frequent  jokes  at  the  ex- 
pense of  those  who  were  sick.  Curiously  enough, 
the  principal  topic  of  conversation  turned  upon  a 


112  PRAIRIE-DOG  TOWN  EIVER  EXPLORED. 

discussion  on  the  relative  merits  of  fancy  iced  drinks, 
and  the  prices  that  would  readily  be  paid  for  some 
of  them  if  they  were  within  reach.  One  of  the 
party  was  willing  to  give  as  high  as  two  thousand 
dollars  for  a  single  bucket  of  pure  water.  Cap- 
tain Marcy,  when  he  retired  to  rest,  had  his  slum- 
bers continually  disturbed  by  dreams,  in  which  he 
failcied  himself  swallowing  huge  draughts  of  ice- 
water. 

After  the  first  day's  journey  the  banks  of  the  river 
became  so  precipitous,  that  the  travellers  were  com- 
pelled to  take  to  the  bed  of  the  stream.  High  bluffs 
that  had  first  been  seen  at  some  distance  to  the  south, 
gradually  approached  the  river  as  they  ascended  it. 
On  the  third  day,  July  1st,  a  point  was  reached 
where  the  stream  was  contracted  into  a  narrow 
channel  of  only  twenty  feet  in  width.  Here  its  bed, 
which,  with  a  single  rocky  exception  at  Jones- 
borough,  in  Texas,  is  throughout  its  entire  course  of 
sand,  suddenly  changed  to  rock,  with  the  water, 
before  turbid,  flowing  clearly  and  rapidly  over  it, 
and,  much  to  the  relief  of  the  party,  free  from 
nauseous  taste.  Following  for  two  miles  the  tor- 
tuous course  of  the  gorge,  a  point  was  reached 
where  it  became  so  much  obstructed  with  huge  piles 
of  rock,  that  the  explorers  were  compelled  to  leave 
their  animals,  and  clamber  up  the  remainder  of  the 
distance  on  foot. 

The  head  of  the  Red  river  was  at  length  reached. 
I 


HEAD    OF    THE    RIVER.  113 

Captains  Marcy  and  McClellan  and  their  hardy  com- 
panions had  now  arrived  at  the  goal,  for  the  attain- 
ment of  which  they  had  laboriously  toiled  and 
suffered  many  privations.  The  author's  pen  cannot 
depict  the  view  here  opened  to  the  eyes  of  these 
pioneers,  nor  can  his  words  describe  their  feelings 
on  witnessing  it,  in  language  equal  to  that  inspired 
by  the  situation.  We  therefore  cull  from  Captain 
Marcy's  journal  the  graphic  sketch  he  made  when 
the  subject  matter  was  vivid  to  his  eye. 

"The  gigantic  escarpments  of  sandstone,  rising  to 
the  giddy  height  of  eight  hundred  feet  upon  each 
side,  gradually  closed  in  until  they  were  only  a  few 
yards  apart  and  finally  united  overhead,  leaving  a 
long,  narrow  corridor  beneath,  at  the  base  of  which 
the  head  spring  of  the  principal  or  main  branch  of 
Red  river  takes  its  rise.  This  spring  bursts  out  from 
its  cavernous  reservoir,  and,  leaping  down  over  the 
huge  masses  of  rock  below,  here  commences  its  long 
journey  to  unite  with  other  tributaries  in  making  the 
Mississippi  the  noblest  river  in  the  universe.  Directly 
at  the  spring  we  found  three  small  cotton-wood 
trees,  one  of  which  was  blazed,  and  the  fact  of  our 
having  visited  the  place,  with  the  date,  marked 
upon  it. 

"  On  beholding  this  minute  rivulet  as  it  wends  its 
tortuous  course  down  the  steep  descent  of  the  canon, 
it  is  difficult  to  realize  that  it  forms  the  germ  of  one 
of  the  largest  and  most  important  rivers  in  America 


H4i          PRAIRIE-DOG-TOWN  KIVEK    EXPLORED. 

— floating  steamers  upon  its  bosom  for  nearly  two 
thousand  miles,  and  depositing  an  alluvion  along  its 
borders  which  renders  its  valley  unsurpassed  for 
fertility. 

"  We  took  many  copious  draughts  of  the  cool  and 
refreshing  water  in  the  spring,  and  thereby  con- 
sidered ourselves,  with  the  pleasure  we  received 
from  the  beautiful  and  majestic  scenery  around  us, 
amply  remunerated  for  all  our  fatigue  and  privations. 
The  magnificence  of  the  views  that  presented  them- 
selves to  our  eyes  as  we  approached  the  head  of  the 
river,  exceeded  any  thing  I  had  ever  beheld.  It  is 
impossible  for  me  to  describe  the  sensations  that 
came  over  me,  and  the  exquisite  pleasure  I  expe- 
rienced, as  I  gazed  upon  these  grand  and  novel  pic- 
tures. 

"The  stupendous  escarpments  of  solid  rock,  rising 
precipitously  from  the  bed  of  the  river  to  such  a 
height  as,  for  a  great  portion  of  the  day,  to  exclude 
the  rays  of  the  sun,  were  worn  away,  by  the  lapse  of 
time  and  the  action  of  the  water  and  the  weather, 
into  the  most  fantastic  forms,  that  required  but  little 
effort  of  the  imagination  to  convert  into  works  of 
art,  and  all  united  in  forming  one  of  the  grandest 
and  most  picturesque  scenes  that  can  be  imagined. 
We  all,  with  one  accord,  stopped  and  gazed  with 
wonder  and  admiration  upon  a  panorama  which 
was  now  for  the  first  time  exhibited  to  the  eyes  of 
civilized  man.  Occasionally  might  be  seen  a  good 


MAGNIFICENT   SCENE.  115 

representation  of  the  towering  walls  of  a  castle  of 
the  feudal  ages,  with  its  giddy  battlements  pierced 
with  loop-holes,  and  its  projecting  watch-towers 
standing  out  in  bold  relief  upon  the  azure  ground 
of  the  pure  and  transparent  sky  above.  In  other 
places  our  fancy  would  metamorphose  the  escarp- 
ments into  a  bastion  front,  as  perfectly  modelled  and 
constructed  as  if  it  had  been  a  production  of  the 
genius  of  Yauban,  with  redoubts  and  salient  angles 
all  arranged  in  due  order.  Then,  again,  we  would 
see  a  colossal  specimen  of  sculpture  representing  the 
human  figure,  with  all  the  features  of  the  face,  which, 
standing  upon  its  lofty  pedestal,  overlooks  the  valley, 
and  seems  to  have  been  designed  and  executed  by 
the  Almighty  Artist  as  the  presiding  genius  of  these 
dismal  solitudes. 

"All  here  was  crude  nature,  as  it  sprung  into 
existence  at  the  fiat  of  the  Almighty  Architect  of  the 
universe,  still  preserving  its  primeval  type,  its  unre- 
claimed sublimity  and  wildness ;  and  it  forcibly 
inspired  me  with  that  veneration  which  is  justly 
due  to  the  high  antiquity  of  nature's  handiworks, 
and  which  seems  to  increase  as  we  consider  the 
solemn  and  important  lesson  that  is  taught  us  in 
reflecting  upon  their  continued  permanence  when  con- 
trasted with  our  own  fleeting  and  momentary  exist- 
ence. 

On  climbing  up  to  the  summit  of  the  escarpment 
over^the  head  of  the  spring,  we  found  ourselves  upon 


116  PRAIRIE-DOG-TOWN  RIVER  EXPLORED. 

the  level  plain  of  the  '  Llano  estacado,'  which  spreads 
out  from  here,  in  one  uninterrupted  desert,  to  the 
base  of  the  mountains  east  of  the  Rio  Grande." 

McClellan  and  his  friends  returned  to  their  com- 
panions in  camp  on  the  3d  of  July,  having  been 
absent  but  four  days.  Dining  their  excursion  to  the 
head  of  the  river  they  had  observed  several  bears, 
two  of  which  they  killed,  and  John  Bull  had  a  brush 
with  a  large  one,  but  his  fractious  horse  would  not 
allow  him  to  get  near  the  animal,  consequently  he 
escaped. 

The  loss  of  the  favorite  bear-dog,  which  had 
occurred  a  few  days  before,  now  rendered  it  very 
difficult  to  hunt  down  that  game,  and  necessarily  de- 
prived the  travellers  of  much  bear-meat,  which  they 
would  otherwise  have  obtained. 

The  distance  travelled  to  the  head  of  the  river 
was  sixty-five  miles,  for  sixty  of  which  the  stream 
ran  through  a  deep  defile,  with  the  rocks  on  either 
side  rising  from  five  to  eight  hundred  feet. 

On  the  morning  of  July  4th,  the  explorers  turned 
their  faces  homewards.  That  day,  whilst  Captains 
Marcy  and  McClellan  were  riding  in  advance  of 
the  command,  on  approaching  a  pond  of  clear  water, 
they  spied  a  huge  panther  very  leisurely  walking 
away  in  an  opposite  direction.  Having,  in  hunter's 
parlance,  the  "wind  of  him,"  they  were  enabled  to 
ride  sufficiently  near  to  give  him  a  shot  before  he 
discovered  them.  The  ball  took  effect;  he  made 


HOMEWARD   MARCH.  117 

a  high  leap,  ran  a  short  distance,  and  then  fell 
dead. 

The  homeward  route  lay  for  a  few  miles  on  the 
south  bank  of  the  river,  when,  from  the  broken 
nature  ^f  the  ground  in  front,  it  was  transferred  to 
the  northern  side.  The  explorers  at  first  found  a 
most  excellent  road  over  smooth  prairie,  a  few  miles 
from  the  stream.  Their  path,  however,  was  after- 
wards intersected  by  numerous  abrupt  ravines  that 
considerably  impeded  their  progress.  The  country 
here  was  almost  destitute  of  wood  or  palatable  water. 

One  day,  Captain  Marcy,  as  he  was  riding  at  a 
distance  from  the  train,  observed  three  Indians,  who 
immediately  moved  out  of  view  in  a  ravine,  and 
were  not  afterwards  seen.  The  Witchita  moun- 
tains, passed  in  the  western  journey,  soon  became 
visible  in  the  distance. 

On  July  12th  the  north  branch  of  the  Red  river 
was  again  reached,  and  after  a  day's  rest  the  com- 
mand crossed  it  on  the  14th.  Starting  before  day- 
light on  the  15th,  a  course  was  taken  to  the  north 
of  that  by  which  the  explorers  had  reached  this  point 
in  their  outward  journey.  It  skirted  the  southeast- 
ern base  of  the  Witchita  mountains,  and  passed 
through  mezquite  groves,  intersected  with  several 
brooks  of  pure  water,  that  was  truly  grateful  to  the 
thirsty  wanderers  after  the  nauseous  liquid  they  had 
been  compelled  for  many  days  to  drink. 

On  the  15th,  Bushman,  the  interpreter,  whilst  call- 


118  PRAIRIE-DOG-TOWX    RIVER    EXPLORED. 

ing  a,  doe  towards  him  with  a  deer-bleat,  observed  a 
small  fawn  following  its  mother,  and,  to  his  astonish- 
ment, a  huge  panther  bounding  rapidly  towards  the 
little  one.  In  a  twinkling  the  savage  brute  fastened 

bis   claws  in  the  vitals  of  his  victim  ;  but   in  this 

• 

instance  he  caught  a  tartar,  and  paid  dearly  for  his 
temerity,  as  John,  with  a  spirit  of  indignation,  raised 
his  rifle  and  planted  its  contents  in  the  panther's  side. 

The  course  was  on-  the  18th  changed  to  the  north, 
and  the  wagon  train  taken  with  much  difficulty 
through  a  gap  or  pass  in  the  first  chain  of  the  moun- 
tains. On  reaching  the  open  prairie  beyond,  the 
explorers  found  themselves  on  the  banks  of  a  large 
stream,  where  they  made  their  encampment. 

The  position  was  directly  at  the  base  of  the  most 
elevated  mountain  of  the  Witchita  range,  which  was 
christened  "  Mount  Scott,"  in  honor  of  the  distin- 
guished soldier  of  that  name.  The  peak  rises  to  an 
altitude  of  eleven  hundred  and  thirty-five  feet  above 
its  base,  and  towers  over  all  the  surrounding  emi- 
nences. It  presents  a  very  imposing  feature  in  the 
landscape,  and  is  a  conspicuous  landmark  for  many 
miles  around.  Mount  Scott !  fitting  name  for  such  a 
majestic  height. 

On  the  north  of  this  peak  lies  a  most  beautiful 
and  romantic  valley,  about  three  miles  wide,  and 
enclosed  between  two  ranges  of  mountains.  Through 
its  centre  winds  a  lovely  stream  of  pure  water,  fifty 
yards  across,  and  two  feet  deep,  with  gigantic  trees 


DESERTED    VILLAGES.  119 

fringing  it  on  either  side.  The  lively  current  courses 
wildly  over  an  almost  continuous  succession  of  rapids. 

This  creek  was  crossed  and  the  route  continued 
through  a  beautiful  country,  in  which  two  deserted 
Indian  villages  were  found.  These  villages  had  been 
formerly  peopled  by  the  Witchitas  and  Keechies,  and 
several  of  the  lodges  were  still  standing,  with  old 
corn-fields  near  by.  McClellan  and  his  companions 
encamped,  on  July  19th,  not  far  from  the  Witchita 
village.  Here  these  Indians  had  lived  and  planted 
corn  for  several  years.  They  appeared  to  have  exhibit- 
ed much  taste  and  judgment  in  the  selection  of  the 
site  for  their  town.  It  was  situated  at  the  enstern 
extremity  of  the  mountains,  upon  a  plateau  skirting 
the  creek,  and  about  a  hundred  feet  above  it,  com- 
manding an  extensive  view  of  the  country  north, 
south,  and  east.  From  its  elevated  position,  the 
village  was  well  secured  against  surprise,  and  nature 
had  made  it  a  most  defensible  spot. 

The  landscape  presented  a  charming  diversity  of 
scenery,  consisting  of  mountains,  woodlands,  glades, 
water-courses,  and  prairies,  all  laid  out  and  arranged 
in  such  peculiar  order  that  the  senses  were  bewitched 
by  the  spectacle.  The  Indians  had  only  deserted  the 
place  about  two  years  previous  to  the  visit  of  the 
explorers,  and  the  reason  for  abandoning  so  lovely 
a  locality  can  only  be  accounted  for  through  fear  of 
the  hostile  Comanches. 

The  eastern  extremity  of  the  Witchita  mountains 


120  PRAIRIE-DOG-TOWN    RIVER    EXPLORED. 

was  left  behind,  and  as  the  travellers  bent  their  way 
towards  the  rising  sun,  they  passed  through  a  country 
where  bounteous  nature  seemed  to  have  strewn  heiV 
favors  with  a  lavish  hand,  and  to  have  held  out  every 
inducement  for  civilized  man  to  occupy  it. 

On  July  22d,  shortly  after  emerging  from  a  forest 
through  which  the  road  had  passed  for  five  miles,  the 
exploring  party  suddenly  came  in  sight  of  several 
squaws  busily  collecting  grass  in  a  beautiful  meadow. 
The  latter  no  sooner  espied  the  pioneers  than 
they  jumped  upon  their  horses  and  prepared  to 
make  off.  At  the  command  of  the  interpreter, 
however,  the  greater  part  of  them  remained,  only 
one  or  two  galloping  away  to  their  village  to  give 
notice  of  the  strangers'  approach  The  Indians  proved 
to  be  Wacos  and  Witchitas,  whose  villages  were 
abo^t  four  miles  in  advance.  The  white  men  were 
invited  to  visit  them,  and  found  them  to  be  situated 
about  a  mile  apart  upon  the  banks  of  Rush  creek. 
The  command  encamped  about  half  a  mile  down 
the  valley.  An  inquisitive  crowd  of  men  imme- 
diately flocked  to  the  camp,  and  expressed  anxiety 
to  learn  where  the  expedition  had  come  from,  and 
whether  any  Comanches  had  been  seen.  The  Indians 
appeared  delighted  at  the  visit,  being  doubtless  in 
anticipation  of  receiving  presents. 

The  Witchita  village  consisted  of  forty-two  lodges, 
and  the  Waco  of  twenty,  each  lodge  containing 
two  families  of  about  ten  persons.  The  habitations, 


WACOS    AND    WITCHITAS.  1-1 

when  seen  from  a  distance,  had  all  the  appearance 
of  a  group  of  hay-stacks.  They  were  of  a  conical 
shape,  about  twenty-five  feet  in  diameter  at  the 
base  and  twenty  feet  high.  The  interior  was  com- 
modious and  comfortable,  and  the  people,  when 
seated  around  the  fire  in  the  centre  of  their  lodges, 
presented  an  air  of  domestic  happiness  which  the 
travellers  hardly  expected  to  find.  Corn,  pumpkins, 
beans,  peas,  and  melons,  were  the  principal  pro- 
duce of  their  fields,  and  the  buffalo  and  the  deer 
furnished  them  with  meat  and  clothing.  They 
principally  used  the  bow  and  arrow  for  killing  game, 
only  a  small  number  possessing  rifles,  \vith  which 
they  were  good  shots.  The  two  tribes  were  amica- 
ble neighbors,  and  frequently  intermarried. 

Much  to  the  surprise  of  the  explorers,  the  Wit- 
chitas  informed  them  a  report  had  been  made, 
by  a  Keechi  Indian,  to  the  commanding  officer  of 
Fort  Arbuckle,  to  the  effect  that  the  whole  party 
had  been  overpowered  and  massacred  by  the  Co- 
manches,  near  the  head  of  Red  river.  The  account 
given  was  so  circumstantial  and  minute  in  every 
particular, — showing  such  a  perfect  knowledge  of 
all  the  movements  of  the  expedition,  with  its  num- 
bers and  equipment, — that  the  report  must  have 
been  fabricated  by  persons  who  had  kept  near  the 
party  and  watched  its  progress.  This  was  con- 
sidered to  account  for  the  fact  of  the  Indians  avoid- 
ing the  explorers  upon  all  occasions.  Although 
r> 


122  PRAIRIE-DOG-TOWN   RIVER    EXPLORED. 

the  latter  had  now  and  then  seen  small  numbers, 
and  had  frequently  passed  camps  abandoned  but 
a  short  time  before,  yet,  with  the  exception  of 
the  Witchitas,  whom  they  met  at  an  early  stage 
of  their  journey,  none  ever  came  to,  or  communi- 
cated with  them.  The  expedition  was  probably 
considered  a  hostile  one,  visiting  their  country  for 
the  purpose  of  chastising  them  for  their  depreda- 
tions; and  they  may  have  thought  that  the  report 
of  the  massacre  would  deter  other  parties  from 
following  in  their  wake. 

This  report  had  speedily  found  its  way  to  the  sea- 
board States,  and  caused  great  grief  to  the  friends 
of  Captain  McClellan,  who  for  several  weeks 
mourned  him  as  dead.  We  can  readily  imagine  their 
joy  on  afterwards  ascertaining  the  falsity  of  the 
statement. 

Before  leaving  the  vicinity  of  these  Indian  vil- 
lages, the  chiefs  of  the  two  were  sent  for,  in  order 
that  they  might  be  persuaded  to  surrender  two  Mex- 
ican prisoners  in  their  possession — one  a  man  about 
forty  years  of  age,  and  the  other  a  boy  of  about 
fifteen.  A  treaty  recently  entered  into  with  the 
Mexicans  rendered  it  obligatory,  on  the  part  of  the 
United  States,  to  give  up  all  prisoners  found  in  the 
hands  of  Indians  in  their  territory.  The  man  stated 
that  he  had  been  with  the  Witchitas  since  he  was  a 
child;  that  he  was  not  now  disposed  to  leave  them; 
that  he  had  become  as  great  a  rascal  as  any  of  the 


BARGAINING    FOR    A    PRISONER.  123 

Indians — a  statement  readily  believed — and  that  he 
should  not  feel  at  home  anywhere  else.  With  such 
a  confession  it  was  considered  unadvisable  to  dis- 
turb his  happiness. 

The  boy,  on  the  contrary,  had  been  with  them 
only  a  few  months.  He  had  been  kidnapped  from  his 
home  near  Chihuahua  by  the  Kioways,  who  had 
treated  him  so  brutally  that  he  made  his  escape  and 
found  his  way  to  the  Witchita  mountains,  where  a 
Witchita  hunter  discovered  him  in  a  nearly  famished 
state.  Although  kindly  treated  where  he  was,  he  ex- 
pressed an  anxious  desire  to  be  taken  away.  For  a 
long  time  the  chiefs  hesitated  to  give  him  up,  stating 
that  he  belonged  to  a  Waco  who  loved  him  so  much 
that  it  was  doubtful  if  he  could  be  persuaded  to  part 
with  him.  The  chiefs  were  told  that  if  they  released 
the  boy  quietly  they  would  be  rewarded,  but  that  if 
they  insisted  upon  holding  him,  ho  would  be  taken 
from  them  by  force,  and  no  presents  would  be  given 
in  return.  This  threat  induced  them  to  promise  his 
release,  on  condition  that  a  few  presents  should 
also  be  made  to  the  family  that  had  adopted  him. 
The  presents  were  distributed,  and  possession  taken 
of  the  boy,  who  was  reluctantly  turned  over  by  the 
Indians,  divested  of  the  few  rags  of  covering  that 
had  hung  about  his  person.  The  young  Mexican 
consequently  made  his  exit  from  the  Witchita  nation 
in  the  same  garb  as  that  in  which  he  entered  the 
world.  He  was  soon  completely  clothed,  and  ap- 


124  PRAIRIE-DOG-TOWN    RIVER    EXPLORED. 

peared  much  delighted  with  the  change.  He  was 
then  placed  in  charge  of  Captain  McClellan,  who 
engaged  to  take  him  to  San  Antonio,  and  communi- 
cate with  his  relatives  in  Mexico. 

A  rain-stofm  compelled  the  expedition  to  remain 
near  the  Indian  villages  until  the  second  day  after 
their  arrival.  When  the  Witchitas  had  been  left 
ten  miles  in  the  rear,  it  was  discovered  that,  in  the 
characteristic  style  of  the  hospitality  of  these  people, 
they  had  abstracted  from  one  of  the  wagons  several 
articles  which  they  probably  supposed  would  be 
more  useful  to  them,  than  to  the  legitimate  owners. 
Unfortunately,  the  distance  traversed  from  the  village 
when  the  discovery  was  made,  was  too  far  to  admit 
of  a  return  for  the  purpose  of  demanding  restitution. 
The  Mexican  boy,  who  appeared  to  be  very  intelligent, 
and  could  read  and  write  his  own  language,  stated 
that  before  he  left  the  Indians  he  was  advised  to 
seize  the  first  opportunity  to  steal  one  of  the  horses, 
on  which  he  should  make  his  escape  and  return  to 
them. 

Four  days  further  travel,  devoid  of  interest,  brought 
the  wanderers  to  the  borders  of  civilization.  The 
train  started  as  early  as  one  o'clock  on  the  morning 
of  July  28th,  and  at  daylight  the  explorers  inarched 
into  Fort  Arbuckle,  in  the  Indian  Territory,  where 
their  friends,  who  believed  they  had  been  all  mas- 
sacred by  the  Comanches,  were  much  astonished  and 
delighted  at  their  appearance. 


THE   JOURNEY   FINISHED.  J  25 

The  exploring  expedition  was  now  at  an  end. 
From  leaving  Fort  Belknap  to  the  arrival  at  Fort 
Arbuckle,  eighty-seven  days  had  been  consumed  in 
its  researches.  After  a  few  days  rest  at  the  latter 
place,  the  infantry  company  returned  to  its  station  at 
Fort  Belknap,  under  the  charge  of  Lieutenant  Up- 
degraff.  Captain  Marcy,  in  accordance  with  instruc- 
tions, proceeded  to  Washington  to  prepare  his  re- 
port ;  Captain  McClellan  to  the  head-quarters  of  the 
eighth  department,  and  the  other  gentlemen  of  the 
party  to  their  respective  homes. 

Not  a  man  had  perished  in  the  expedition,  and, 
with  the  exception  of  two  cases  of  scurvy,  there 
had  been  no  sickness  of  consequence.  Not  even  an 
animal  had  died,  or  had  been  lost  by  straying  away  ; 
but,  on  the  contrary, Jbhe  party  had  the  especial  good 
fortune  of  adding  three  horses  found  upon  the  plains 
to  the  number  with  which  it  had  commenced  the 
march.  In  fact,  all  the  animals,  and  particularly  the 
oxen,  had  gained  in  robustness  by  their  summer  ex- 
cursion. 

Captain  Marcy,  in  his  report  of  the  expedition, 
expresses  the  sincere  regret  he  felt  at  parting  with 
his  companions,  who  for  about  a  thousand  miles  had 
wandered  with  him  through  regions  heretofore  un- 
trodden by  civilized  man.  He  pays  a  high  tribute 
to  the  manner  in  which  all  performed  the  arduous 
duties  assigned  to  them,  and  to  the  cheerful  spirit 
exhibited,  when  wearied  by  long  marches,  or  com- 


126  PRAIRIE-DOG-TOWN    RIVER   EXPLORED. 

pelled  to  drink  disgusting  waters.  To  the  harmo- 
nious action  of  all  engaged  in  the  expedition  he 
attributes  its  fortunate  results. 

Of  the  subject  of  our  work  he  remarks: — "The 
astronomical  observations  were  made  by  Captain 
George  B.  McClellan,  of  the  Engineer  corps,  who,  in 
addition  to  the  duties  properly  pertaining  to  his 
department,  performed  those  of  quartermaster  and 
commissary  to  the  command.  An  interesting  collec- 
tion of  reptiles  and  other  specimens,  in  alcohol,  was 
also  made  under  his  superintendence,  and  put  into  the 
hands  of  Professors  Baird  and  Girard,  of  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution.  For  these  and  many  other  im- 
portant services,  as  well  as  for  his  prompt  and  effi- 
cient co-operation  in  whatever  was  necessary  for  the 
successful  accomplishment  of  the  design  of  the  expe- 
dition, I  take  this  opportunity  of  tendering  my 
warmest  acknowledgment." 


COAST  SURVEY  OF  TEXAS.  127 

• 


CHAPTER  VII. 

COAST   SURVEY    OF   TEXAS. 

Proceeds  to  Texas — Brazos  revisited — Recollections  of  the  past 
— Galveston — The  Pirate  Lafitte — Indianola/ — Resemblance  to 
a  European  city — Corpus  Christi — General  Taylor's  old  camp- 
ing-ground— Beauty  of  the  country — San  Antonio — Its  mixed 
population — Heroic  defence  of  Travis — Variety  of  buildings — 
A  gushing  spring — Luxurious  bathing — An  ungrlteful  protege 
— Summoned  to  Washington. 

T~N"  compliance  with  the  instructions  contained  'in 
-*-  the  order  assigning  Captain  McClellan  to  duty 
with  the  Red  river  expedition,  he  proceeded,  on 
the  completion  of  the  survey  of  that  stream,  by 
the  way  of  New  Orleans,  to  report  to  the  commander 
of  the  eighth  military  department,  comprising  the 
State  of  Texas.  This  officer  was  General  Persifor 
F.  Smith,  whose  foresight  and  gallantry  in  Mexico, 
it  will  be  remembered,  led  to  the  brilliant  assault 
and  splendid  victory  of  Contreras.  Under  him 
McClellan  had  braved  the  brief  but  terrific  battle- 
storm  that  burst  over  that  volcanic  height.  He  was 
.now  to  return  under  his  command,  but  to  labor  in 
a  more  pacific  cause,  and  contend  for  honor  in  a 
more  pacific  field. 

On   September   28th,    1852,   he   was    ordered    to 
survey  the  bars  on  the  coast  of  Texas,  from  Paso 


128  COAST  SURVEY  OF  TEXAS. 

Cavallo  to  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  Grande,  with  the 
harbors  of  Brazos-Santiago,  Corpus  Christi,  and 
Aranzas,  and  the  inland  channel  to  Matagorda  Bay. 

McClellan's  first  visit  to  Brazos-Santiago  had  been 
in  the  capacity  of  the  youngest  officer  in  the  youngest 
company  in  the  service.  Just  six  years  had  passed, 
and  he  revisited  it  in  charge  of  an  expedition 
intrusted  with  important  operations.  What  recol- 
lections are  called  forth  in  the  reviewal  of  a  spot 
impressed  upon  one's  memory  by  the  associations 
of  earlier  Hays !  How  the  mind  wanders  over  the 
period  that  has  elapsed,  and  reverts  to  the  many 
incidents  that  have  occurred  in  the  onward  march 
of  time  from  the  starting  point  recalled  to  the 
thoughts !  When  McClellau  looked  upon  the  place 
where,  half  a  dozen  years  before,  he  had  landed  an 
almost  unknown  subaltern,  his  mind  must  rapidly 
have  run  over  his  many  achievements  in  the  Mexican 
campaign,  his  subsequent  quiet  life  in  the  perform- 
ance of  his  duties  at  West  Point,  and  his  pioneer 
labors  in  the  explorations  of  the  Red  river ;  and 
he  had  every  cause  to  feel  satisfied  with  his  own 
actions  throughout  that  period  of  time. 

Whilst  in  Texas,  McClellan  accompanied  General 
Smith,  on  whose  staff  he  was  chief  engineer,  in  a 
tour  of  military  inspection  through  the  State. 
They  started  from  Galveston.  The  island  upon 
which  that  city  is  situated  was  formerly  the  resort 
of  pirates,  and  upon  it  the  celebrated  Lafitte  erected 


CAMPING-GROUND    AT    CORPUS    CHRISTI.  129 

a  fort,  the  ruins  of  which  were  to  be  seen  upon  its 
shore.  Indianola,  one  of  the  places  visited,  was  the 
head-quarters  of  the  department.  It  is  a  quaint 
little  town  on  Matagorda  Bay,  and  the  prominent 
gables  of  the  houses  at  its  entrance  impress  the 
traveller  with  the  idea  that  he  is  approaching 
some  place  in  continental  Europe.  The  pleasant 
promenade  afforded  by  the  beach  beyond  the  town 
is  also  strongly  suggestive  of  a  stroll  by  the  side 
of  one  of  the  small  marine  resorts  found  in  south- 
ern England  or  western  France. 

At  Corpus  Christi  McClellan  wandered  over  the 
camping-ground  where  General  Taylor's  army  was 
for  some  time  stationed,  previous  to  its  march 
into  Mexico.  It  was  situated  on  the  beach  near 
the  town,  and  extended  a  couple  of  miles  above  it. 
McClellan  wrote  at  the  time :  "  The  positions  of 
the  tents  are  still  marked  by  the  banks  of  sand 
thrown  up  to  protect  them  against  the  Northers. 
It  is  a  classical  spot  with  the  army,  there  are  so 
many  old  associations,  traditions,  and  souvenirs  of 
many  who  are  now  no  more." 

"The  country  around  Corpus,"  he  also  remarked, 
"  is  very  beautiful.  Below,  towards  the  bay,  it  is  a 
rather  flat  country,  alternately  prairie  and  chaparral, 
the  prairies  interspersed  with  '  motts'  of,  live-oak  and 
mesquite,  covered  withal  by  a  luxuriant  growth  of 
grass.  The  chaparral  is  the  prettiest  growth  of  that 
nature  I  remember  to  have  seen.  It  is,  of  course, 
6* 


130  COAST  SURVEY  OF  TEXAS. 

tropical — that  is,  composed  of  the  cactus  and  the 
stiff  thorn-covered  bushes  peculiar  to  Southern  lati- 
tudes ;  but  the  ground  even  now  is  covered  with  a 
great  variety  of  beautiful  flowers,  and  the  whole 
makes  up  a  very  pretty  country." 

The  journey  with  General  Smith  into  the  interior 
of  the  State  took  Captain  McClellan  to  San  An- 
tonio. This  city  is  of  some  antiquity,  and  was  re- 
markable, at  the  time  of  the  visit,  as  being  the  home 
of  people  of  three  distinct  nationalities,  who  inhab- 
ited it  in  almost  equal  portions  ;  the  entire  population 
being  about  six  thousand,  but  since  considerably 
increased.  How  far  the  war  may  have  changed  its 
character  it  is  impossible  to  state. 

San  Antonio  was  founded  in  1730,  by  twelve 
Spanish  families  from  the  Canary  Islands,  whose 
names<  were  still  perpetuated  in  the  place.  The  ori- 
ginal mission  and  fortress  of  San  Antonio  de  Valero, 
however,  dates  fifteen  years  before,  when  Spain 
established  a  foothold  in  Texas.  A  battered  old 
cathedral  stands  in  the  town,  and  several  other 
Catholic  institutions,  some  of  them  in  different  stages 
of  decay,  are  found  in  the  neighborhood.  The  Alamo, 
one  of  the  earliest  of  these  establishments,  is  within 
the  town,  but  its  present  extent  is  probably  a  mere 
fraction  of  its  former  grandeur.  In*1836,  during  the 
Texan  revolution,  it  was  heroically  defended  for  a 
fortnight  by  Colonel  Travis,  with  a  mere  handful  of 
men.  At  the  time  of  McClellan's  visit,  it  was 


SAN    ANTOXIO.  131 

used  as  an  arsenal  by  the  United  States  quarter- 
master. 

The  buildings  of  the  town  were  as  varied  as  the 
people  who  inhabited  it.  Neat  and  cheerful  one- 
storied  houses,  many  furnished  with  the  luxuries  of 
bow  windows  and  balconies,  constituted  the  homes  of 
the  Germans,  considerable  numbers  of  whom,  some 
years  ago,  flocked  to  this  State,  to  find  a  home  free 
from  the  oppression  of  European  rulers.  More  pre- 
tentious and  matter-of-fact  buildings  were  inhabited 
by  the  Americans;  whilst  squalid  huts,  often  door- 
less,  too  plainly  proved  that  indolent  Mexicans  were 
their  occupants. 

The  San  Antonio  spring,  not  far  from  tjie  town, 
Mr.  Olmsted,  in  his  work  on  Texas,  says,  "  may  be 
classed  as  of  the  first  water  among  the  gems  of  the 
natural  world.  The  whole  river  gushes  up  in  one 
sparkling  burst  from  the  earth.  It  has  all  the  beau- 
tiful accompaniments  of  a  smaller  spring,  moss, 
pebbles,  seclusion,  sparkling  sunbeams,  and  dense, 
overhanging,  luxuriant  foliage.  The  effect  is  over- 
powering. It  is  beyond  your  possible  conceptions 
of  a  spring.  You  cannot  believe  your  eyes,  and 
almost  shrink  from  sudden  metamorphosis  by  invaded 
nymphdom."  The  San  Pedro  spring  is  also  situated 
in  the  vicinity,  and  comprises,  in  addition  to  its 
natural  attractions,  some  of  those  that  are  generally 
found  in  the  pleasure-gardens  of  German  towns. 

San  Antonio  river  is  a  favorite  bathing:  resort  for 


132  COAST  SURVEY  OF  TEXAS. 

the  people.  Many  houses  are  so  placed  that  the 
gardens  in  their  rear  extend  to  the  river-bank,  and 
numerous  bathing-houses  dot  the  margin  of  the 
stream.  Bathing  here  is  a  real  luxury,  the  water 
being  of  a  light  blue  tinge,  and  its  temperature  most 
agreeable.  Irrigation  is  carried  on  to  some  extent  in 
the  neighborhood,  and  considerably  assists  in  adding 
to  the  productiveness  of  the  soil. 

The  Mexican  youth,  released  from  the  Indians  on 
the  Red  river,  was  protected  and  cared  for  by  Cap- 
tain McClellan,  and,  in  accordance  with  his  promise, 
brought  to  San  Antonio.  Whilst  here  the  boy  most 
ungratefully  deserted  his  benefactor,  during  the  time 
the  latter  was  unfortunately  confined  to  his  bed  from 
sickness.  As  might  naturally  be  anticipated  from 
such  conduct,  the  young  scapegrace,  it  is  believed, 
afterwards  turned  out  a  worthless  fellow. 

The  report  of  the  result  of  Captain  McClellan's 
surveys  of  the  coast  of  Texas  was  prepared  by  him 
under  date  of  April  18th,  1853,  at  Indianola,  from 
which  place  he  was  summoned  to  Washington  to 
take  part  in  another  expedition,  and  to  fulfil  more 
important  duties  than  any  with  which  he  had  been 
previously  charged. 


THE    GOLDEN   STATE.  133 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

PIONEEK   WOKK   IN   THE   NORTHWEST. 

The  Golden  State  —  Difficulties  in  reaching  it  —  Pacific  railroad  ex- 
plorations —  McClellan  in  charge  of  the  northwestern  survey  — 
His  orders  —  Arrives  on  the  Pacific  coast  —  His  command  —  The 
expedition  in  motion  —  The  Cascade  range  —  The  summit  reached 

—  Halt  at  Chequoss  —  Magnificent  Alpine  scene  —  Curious  lake 

—  Subterranean  passage  —  The  mouse-wife  —  The  Elip   Tilicum 

—  The  man  with  two  wives  —  Giants  and  dwarfs  —  Indians  met 
by  the  way  —  The  Tahk  prairie  and  the  story  of  its  creation  — 
Atahnam  Mission  —  Depot-camp  at  Wenass  —  Detached  expe- 
ditions —  Removal  of  the  camp  to  Ketetas  —  Gold  discovered  — 
Yakima  village  —  Indian  fortifications. 


vast  region  west  of  the  Rocky  mountains 
was,  as  we  have  already  shown,  ceded  to  the 
United  States  at  the  termination  of  the  war  with 
Mexico.  The  treaty  which  extended  our  territorial 
boundaries  to  the  Pacific  coast  was  concluded 
early  in  February,  1848,  and  the  ink  with  which  it 
was  signed  had  scarcely  dried  before  California  was 
found  to  have  the  most  precious  of  all  the  precious 
metals  mingling  with  her  soil  and  imbedded  in  her 
mountains. 

This  discovery  at  once  drew  to  her  hitherto 
sparsely  peopled  shores  thousands  of  eager  search- 
ers after  wealth,  who  left  the  loom  and  the  plough, 
the  workshop  and  the  warehouse,  the  counter  and 


134  PIONEER   WOKK   IN    THE    NORTHWEST. 

the  desk,  to  delve  for  gold  in  her  auriferous  earth, 
arid  to  crush  it  out  of  her  auriferous  rocks.  They 
flocked  from  every  State  and  nation  of  the  New 
World,  and  from  every  kingdom  and  empire  of  the 
Old ;  and  so  great  were  their  numbers,  that  before  two 
years  had  passed,  the  district  to  which  they  had  sped 
knocked  at  the  doors  of  Congress  and  demanded 
admission  into  the  sisterhood  of  States — a  demand 
which  the  representatives  of  the  people  found  it 
incumbent  upon  them  to  grant. 

The  central  portion  of  the  American  continent  was 
then  all  but  an  unknown  land  to  civilized  man.  It 
was  left  to  the  Indian  and  the  buffalo,  who,  undis- 
turbed, roamed  over  it  at  pleasure.  The  Rocky  moun- 
tains, lifting  their  lofty  peaks  to  receive  the  embraces 
of  the  clouds,  appeared  to  form  an  impassable  barrier 
between  the  east  and  the  west,  and  compelled  the 
traveller  who  wished  to  reach  the  new  El  Dorado 
either  to  take  the  route  by  sea  and  land,  which  carried 
him  over  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  or  to  traverse  the 
ocean  for  seventeen  thousand  miles,  and  submit  to  the 
buffeting  of  the  turbulent  waters  beyond  the  stormy 
Horn. 

But,  as  the  entire  territory  between  the  older 
States  east  of  the  Mississippi  and  their  newborn 
sister  in  the  farthest  West  belonged  to  the  nation, 
it  was  determined  to  call  science  to  the  aid  of  man, 
and  thereby  endeavor  to  discover  a  pathway  over 
which  the  snorting  steam  horse  could  travel,  and 


DUTIES.  135 

more  closely  blend  the  people  on  the  Atlantic  shore 
with  those  on  the  Pacific  coast.  Consequently,  an 
act  of  Congress  was  passed,  March  31,  1853,  by 
which  a  sum  of  money  was  appropriated  for  several 
surveys  of  the  central  and  western  portions  of  the 
continent,  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  "  the  most 
practicable  and  economical  route  for  a  railroad  from 
the  Mississippi  river  to  the  Pacific  ocean."  The  exe- 
cution of  these  operations  was  given  into  the  charge 
of  the  War  Department. 

The  most  northern  of  the  surveys  lay  between  the 
forty-seventh  and  forty-ninth  parallels  of  north  lati- 
tude. The  exploration  of  this  district  was  placed 
under  the  care  of  Hon.  Isaac  I.  Stevens,  Governor  of 
Washington  Territory,  who  undertook  in  person  the 
superintendence  of  the  examination  into  the  eastern 
portion  of  the  route;  The  direction  of  the  survey  of 
the  western  or  Pacific  portion,  including  the  Cascade 
range  of  mountains,  was  assigned  to  Captain  McClellan. 
The  previous  explorations  of  this  officer  had  been 
undertaken  in  the  company,  or  under  the  command,  of 
military  men  who  were  his  superiors  in  rank ;  he  was 
now,  however,  for  the  first  time  placed  at  the  head 
of  an  expedition,  and  the  difficult  and  responsible 
position  he  was  called  upon  to  occupy  proves  how 
satisfactorily  he  must  have  performed  the  duties 
previously  intrusted  to  him. 

In  the  instructions  given  to  Governor  Stevens  by 
the  War  Department,  on  April  8th,  that  gentleman 


136  PIONEER    WORK    IN   THE    NORTHWEST. 

was  informed  that  Captain  McClellan  was  already 
under  orders  to  return  from  Texas,  and  report  to 
him  for  duty  on  the  survey.  The  Brigadier- 
General  in  command  of  the  Pacific  division  was,  at 
the  same  time,  authorized  to  assign  to  Captain 
McClellan  the  officers  and  men  requisite  for  his 
explorations,  and  to  afford  him  and  his  party  every 
facility,  "  in  the  discharge  of  their  difficult  and  im- 
portant duties." 

Before  Captain  McClellan  returned  from  Texas, 
as  the  season  was  progressing  rapidly,  Lieutenant 
Duncan,  who  was  appointed  one  of  his  party,  left 
New  York  on  the  5th  of  May,  accompanied  by 
Doctor  J.  G.  Cooper,  another  member  of  the  ex- 
pedition. Lieutenant  Duncan  was  directed  to  repair 
to  the  Columbia  river,  and  collect  transportation  and 
supplies  in  anticipation  of  MeClellan's  arrival.  The 
latter  reached  Washington  on  the  8th  of  the  same 
month,  and  on  the  following  day  received  his  in- 
structions from  Governor  Stevens.  These  directed 
him  to  proceed  to  Astoria,  not  far  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Columbia  river,  and,  after  organizing  his 
command  at  an  available  point,  to  proceed  in  the 
direction  of  the  Cascade  mountains,  which  he  was 
to  explore  from  the  Columbia  river  to  the  forty- 
ninth  parallel  of  north  latitude,  for  the  purpose  of 
discovering  the  most  practicable  pass  in  the  range 
for  a  railroad.  From  this  point  he  was  to  continue 
eastward  to  the  Rocky  mountains,  unless,  previous 


INSTRUCTIONS.  137 

to  reaching  them,  he  should  meet  Governor  Stevens' s 
exploring  party  approaching  from  the  east,  over 
which,  in  the  event  of  the  Governor's  absence,  he 
was  also  to  assume  command. 

McClellan  was  at  the  same  time  charged  by  the 
Secretary  of  War  with  the  duty  of  deciding  upon  a 
line  for,  and  the  formation  of,  a  military  road  from 
Wallah- Wallah  to  Fort  Steilacoom,  on  Puget  Sound, 
which  should  pierce  the  Cascade  mountains  in  its 
course.  The  purpose  of  this  road  was  to  provide 
an  easy  passage  for  emigrants  traversing  that  coun- 
try. He  was  also  authorized  to  enter  into  all  neces- 
sary contracts  for  the  construction  of  the  road, 
and  funds  were  placed  at  his  disposal  for  carrying 
out  the  undertaking. 

In  addition  to  carefully  examining  the  mountain 
passes,  the  surface,  and  the  meteorology  of  the 
regions  through  which  he  travelled,  Captain  Mc- 
Clellan was  required  to  collect  every  species  of 
information  which  bore  not  only  -.  upon  the  question 
of  railroad  capability,  but  the  character  qf  the  river 
Columbia,  as  an  avenue  of  trade  and  transportation. 
He  was  further  instructed  to  give  great  attention 
to  the  Indian  tribes,  as  it  was  important  to  secure 
their  friendship;  and,  it  will  be  shown  hereafter, 
he  was  thus  led  to  have  much  intercourse  with 
them. 

Captain  McClellan  left  New  York  for  the  Pacific 
coast  by  the  steamer  of  the  20th  of  May.  Whilst 


138     PIONEER  WORK  IN  THE  NORTH  WE :  T. 

in  San  Francisco  he  made  arrangements  for  sup- 
plies and  the  personnel  of  his  command,  after  which 
he  proceeded  to  Fort  Vancouver,  on  the  Columbia 
river,  where  he  arrived  on  the  27th  of  June.  He 
had  here  much  difficulty  in  procuring  the  proper 
pack  animals  and  the  necessary  outfit,  which  so 
delayed  him  that  it  was  not  until  the  24th  of  the 
following  month  that  the  entire  party  was  in 
motion. 

The  expedition  consisted  of  Lieutenants  Duncan, 
Hodges,  and  Mowry,  Messrs.  Gibbs,  Minter,  and 
Lewes,  and  Doctor  J.  G.  Cooper,  to  each  of  whom 
special  duties  were  assigned.  There  were  in 
addition  five  surveying  assistants,  four  non-commis- 
sioned officers  and  twenty-four  privates  of  the 
Fourth  Infantry,  three  hunters,  and  twenty-two 
packers,  making  a  total  of  sixty-five,  exclusive  of 
Captain  McClellan.  Mr.  Lewes  acted  as  interpreter. 
Guides  were  obtained  among  the  Indians  along 
the  route.  The  number  of  animals  consisted  of 
one  hundred  and  seventy-three,  about  one-fourth 
of  which  were  mules.  Of  these  animals  seventy- 
three  were  used  for  riding,  and  the  rest  for  the 
purpose  of  carrying  the  tents,  instruments,  and 
stores. 

Fort  Vancouver,  on  the  Columbia  river,  and  one 
hundred  and  fifteen  miles  from  its  mouth,  was  a 
trading-post  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  and  the 
parent  establishment  from  which  other  stations 


THE    EXPEDITION   IN   MOTION.  139 

were  supplied  with  goods.  The  post  was  enclosed 
by  a  stockade,  and  defended  by  bastions  sur- 
mounted with  cannon.  Within  were  the  residences 
of  the  governor  and  employes,  and  large  ware- 
houses. A  little  distance  off  stood  a  small  village 
of  fifty  or  sixty  cabins,  occupied  by  servants  and 
Indians.  The  United  States  barracks  were  situated 
in  the  neighborhood. 

The  water  in  the  Columbia  river  being  unusually 
high,  it  was  impracticable  for  the  train  to  traverse 
the  usual  trail  to  the  east  which  led  along  its 
banks;  it  was,  therefore,  necessary  to  take  a  more 
northern  route,  proceed  along  a  trail  but  little  used 
and  much  obstructed  by  brush  and  fallen  timber, 
and  strike  the  valley  of  the  river  beyond  the  Cascade 
range. 

The  explorers  proceeded  from  Fort  Vancouver 
towards  the  Cathlapootle  river,  the  banks  of  which 
they  reached  on  August  1st,  and  followed  up  its 
valley  for  four  days.  The  route  then  ascended 
the  Cascade  range,  crossing  it  a  few  miles  south 
of  Mount  St.  Helens,  the  summit  being  reached 
on  the  fifth. 

The  ascent  was  very  difficult,  the  steep  mountain 
slopes  being  covered  with  forests  and  dense  thick- 
ets, that  considerably  impeded  the  passage  of  the 
train.  A  halt  from  the  8th  to  the  10th  was  made  at 
Chequoss,  for  the  purpose  of  refreshing  the  animals 
and  making  a  survey  of  the  district. 


140  PIONEER   WORK    IN   THE   NORTHWEST. 

This  place  was  4,053  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sea.  Here  a  circular  basin  contained  a  small  pond 
that  presented  the  appearance  of  an  ancient  crater. 
Notwithstanding  its  elevation  the  spot  was  found 
to  be  tolerably  fertile.  The  basin  as  well  as 
the  hills  around  it  were  covered  with  grass ; 
and  strawberries,  which  had  disappeared  at  Fort 
Vancouver  by  the  middle  of  June,  were  here 
found  in  the  early  part  of  August  growing  in 
great  luxuriance  and  profusion. 

On  the  morning  of  August  9th,  a  rain  storm  hav- 
ing extinguished  the  fire  that  had  been  consuming 
the  forests  in  the  vicinity,  and  cleared  away  the 
smoke  that  had  obscured  the  view  for  several  days, 
there  was  revealed  a  scene  probably  unsurpassed 
by  any  in  America.  Five  snowy  peaks  were  visible 
rising  many  thousand  feet  above  the  encampment, 
showing  McClellan  and  his  companions  that  they 
were  still  far  below  the  limits  of  perpetual  snow. 
These  peaks  appeared  to  have  their  sides  clothed  with 
dwarf  vegetation  for  a  thousand  feet  higher  than 
the  camping  ground.  The  entire  view  presented  to 
the  vision  an  Alpine  scene  of  extreme  magnificence. 
The  five  peaks — Mounts  Hood,  Jefferson,  St.  Helens, 
Adams,  and  Rainier,  are  of  a  volcanic  nature,  and 
during  the  journey,  smoke  was  distinctly  seen  to 
issue  from  St.  Helens. 

Though  it  was  the  middle  of  summer,  and  the 
days'  were  very  warm,  ice  formed  at  night  one-third 


A    CURIOUS   LAKE.  14 J 

of  an  inch  in  thickness,  and  the  travellers  during 
their  stay  at  Chequoss  experienced  a  violent  and  cold 
hail  storm,  which  for  a  short  time  buried  the  flow- 
ers, and  in  a  brief  hour  changed  summer  into  winter. 

On  the  llth,  the  eastern  slope  of  the  range  was 
descended  near  the  base  of  Mount  Adams,  and  the 
downward  journey  was  found  to  be  much  more 
gradual  than  the  ascent  of  the  western  side.  Level 
terraces  were  traversed,  covered  with  grass  and 
shaded'  with  fine  trees,  through  whose  light  foliage 
the  sun's  rays  penetrated  with  agreeable  mildness 
— the  district  presenting  the  appearance  of  a  vast 
ornamental  park. 

Two  fields  of  lava  had  been  passed  on  the  route 
over  the  mountains,  and  four  miles  west  of  Che- 
quoss a  third  was  reached,  the  lava  in  every  case 
being  broken  up  into  mounds.  A  peculiar  natural 
feature  was  here  discovered.  A  small  lake  of  irregu- 
lar form,  occupying,  when  full,  about  one  hundred 
acres,  extended  upon  the  verge  of  the  field,  sur- 
rounded by  gigantic  cotton-wood  trees,  although  at 
an  elevation  of  about  3,300  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sea.  Though  ^his  lake  received  the  water  of  three 
brooks,  one  of  them  fifteen  feet  wide,  no  visible  out- 
let could  be  found,  nor  any  motion  indicating  an 
outflow. 

The  steps  of  the  travellers  next  led  towards  the 
northeast,  and  in  the  direction  of  the  passes  in  the 
eastern  branch  of  the  Cascade  range.  During  some 


142  PIONEER   WORK    IN   THE   NORTHWEST. 

of  the  nights  several  large  and  beautiful  meteors 
illumined  the  sky,  and  shooting  stars  and  faint  glim- 
merings of  the  Aurora  Borealis  were  observed. 

The  train  in  its  progress  frequently  grossed  the 
dry  bed  of  a  river,  the  last  five  or  six  miles  of  which, 
before  it  reached  the  Hool-bool-se,  was  found  to  be 
arched  over,  forming  a  subterranean  passage  of  about 
thirty  feet  in  depth.  The  arch  having  broken 
in  several  places,  natural  shafts  had  been  formed, 
through  which  the  pioneers  were  enabled  to  'see  the 
chasm  below. 

The  Indians  related  to  Captain  McClellan  and 
his  party  a  curious  tradition  concerning  this  subter- 
ranean channel.  Once  upon  a  time,  a  great  chief 
of  the  "Elip  Tilicum"  had  a  wife,  whom,  at  his 
desire,  one  of  the  learned  medicine  men  of  the  period 
changed  into  a  mouse,  as  a  just  punishment  for  some 
misdemeanor  or  other  that  the  women  of  those  days 
were  always  committing.  But  the  woman  did  not 
profit  by  this  punishment,  and  her  spirit,  under  her 
new  form,  was  still  intent  upon  working  mischief. 
In  a  very  rebellious  mood  she  went  to  work  to  un- 
dermine her  husband's  dominions,  and  this  cave,  it  is 
said,  was  the  result  of  her  spite.  However,  with  all 
due  deference  to  the  Elip  Tilicum,  it  is  more  rea- 
sonable to  conclude  that  the  cavern  originated  in  a 
volcanic  eruption,  when  the  lava  overran  an  exist- 
ing stream  and  suddenly  cooled,  after  which  the 
water  was  forced  into  another  channel. 


THE   MAN   WITH   TWO   WIVES.     *  143 

The  Elip  Tilicum  is  a  name  given  by  the  Indians 
to  a  race  long  since  passed  away.  It  is  formed  of 
two  jargon  words,  signifying  "first  people,"  or 
"  people  before." 

The  Indians  have  likewise  another  version  of  this 
story,  which  we  will  also  append,  as  it  differs  con- 
siderably from  that  just  given. 

A  very  long  time  ago,  before  there  were  any 
Indians,  there  lived  in  this  country  a  man  and  wife 
of  gigantic  stature.  The  man  became  tired  of  his 
partner,  and  took  to  himself  a  mouse,  which  there- 
upon became  a  woman.  When  the  first  wife  knew 
of  this,  she  was  very  much  enraged,  and  threatened 
to  kill  the  husband  and  bis  new  wife.  This  coming 
to  the  man's  knowledge,  he  hid  himself  and  his 
mouse-wife  in  a  place  higher  up  the  mountain,  near 
the  small  lake  that  has  no  visible  outlet.  The  first 
woman,  finding  they  had  escaped  her,  and  suspecting 
they  were  hidden  under  ground,  commenced  digging, 
and  made  the  subterraneous  passage.  In  course 
of  time  she  completed  the  cavern  to  the  place  where 
the  couple  had  secreted  themselves.  Looking  up 
through  a  hole  she  had  made  at  the  top  to  let  in  light, 
she  observed  the  two  looking  down  and  laughing  at 
her.  The  first  wife,  irritated  at  what  she  witnessed, 
attempted  to  climb  through  the  aperture,  but  slid 
back  several  times.  She,  however,  finally  strained 
every  nerve,  and  succeeded  in  gaining  the  top.  At 
this  the  man  became  much  alarmed,  begged  her  not 


144  Pfc)NEER    WORK    IN    THE    NORTHWEST. 

to  kill  him,  and  promised  that  if  she  would  forgive 
him  he  would  return  to  his  home,  and  live  with  her 
as  of  old.  The  woman  eventually  consented  to  kill 
only  the  mouse-wife,  and  it  is  stated  that  her  blood 
caused  the  water  of  the  lake  to  become  red.  After 
a  time  the  man  asked  his  wife  why  she  had  killed 
the  other  woman.  She  replied,  it  was  because  the 
mouse-wife  had  brought  her  to  shame,  and  that  she 
was  determined  to  kill  him  likewise,  which  threat 
she  carried  into  effect,  and  has  since  lived  alone  in 
the  mountains. 

There  is  still  another  story  about  the  origin  of 
this  cave,  which  states  that  it  was  made  by  a 
former  people  called  the  Siam,  a  name  correspond- 
ing to  an  Indian  word  signifying  "  grizzly  bear." 
The  mouse  seems  to  have  been  a  favorite  of  the 
Indians,  in  whose  language  it  is  called  •"  hool-bool," 
and  has  not  only  supplied  the  name  of  Hool-bool-se 
given  to  this  place  by  the  Klikatats,  but  of  Hool- 
bool-pam,  or  mouse-land,  which  the  Yakimas  give 
to  their  country. 

In  contrast  to  the  gigantic  race  just  mentioned, 
the  Indians  related  a  story  of  another  race  of 
diminutive  size,  the  people  of.  which  were  only  a 
span  high.  These  dwarfs,  they  said,  lived  near  the 
foot  of  Mount  St.  Helens,  and  that  foot-prints  had 
been  seen  where  they  held  their  nocturnal  dances. 
An  eruption  of  the  mountain,  however,  which  took 
place  in  1842,  so  alarmed  the  Indians  that  they 


THE   TAHK    PRAIRIE    AND    ITS    CREATION.         145 

had  not  since  dared  to  ascend  it,  and  consequently 
had  not  seen  the  pigmy  foot-prints  for  a  long  time 
past. 

Tribes  of  Indians  now  frequently  crossed  Mc- 
Clellan's  path,  and  their  chiefs  were  very  curious 
to  ascertain  the  reasons  which  induced  the  explo- 
rers to  travel  through  their  lands.  As  a  chapter 
will  be  devoted  to  an  account  of  the  Captain's 
experiences  amongst  these  descendants  of  the  abo- 
rigines, we  shall  but  briefly  allude  to  them  as  the 
train  passes  over  its  trail. 

Shortly  after  leaving  the  Hool-bool-se  the  expedi- 
tion crossed  a  portion  of  the  Tahk  prairie,  a  favorite 
valley  of  the  Klikatats,  who  related  to  the  trav- 
ellers a  curious  story  in  connection  with  it.  This 
valley  was  formerly  the  bed  of  a  lake,  the  remains 
of  which  now  appear  in  a  marshy  pond  of  some 
extent.  When  the  prairie  was  made,  the  wolf  prom- 
ised to  the  Indians  that  it  should  be  rich  in  their 
favorite  roots,  the  kamas  and,  the  wapp-a-too,  and 
that  salmon  should  come  there  in  abundance.  But 
when  the  Indians  peopled  this  prairie  they  were  for- 
getful of  their  obligations  to  the  wolf,  and  ungrate- 
ful to  him  also,  and  spent  their  time  in  horse-racing 
and  gambling  instead  of  fishing  and  attending  to 
the  business  of  life.  Now,  the  wolf  was  so  vexed 
at  this  treatment,  and  at  the  wickedness  of  the  In- 
dians, that  he  took  away  the  salmon  and  placed 
two  stones  upon  the  prairie,  beyond  which  the 
7 


146  PIONEER   WORK    IX    THE    NORTHWEST. 

fish  should  not  pass.  Alas !  the  Klikatats  had  not 
profited  by  the  lesson  taught  their  forefathers,  for 
they  continued  to  run  horses  and  to  gamble. 

Before  arriving  at  the  eastern  branch  of  the  Cas- 
cade mountains,  Captain  McClellan  reached  the 
Atahnam  Mission,  and  found  there  the  Reverend 
Fathers  Pandozy  and  d'Harbomey  with  a  lay 
brother.  This  mission,  he  learned,  was  only 
inhabited'  during  the  summer,  for  in  winter  the 
Fathers  established  themselves  on  the  Yakima, 
not  far  from  the  Columbia  river,  where  the  snow 
was  less  deep  and  the  cold  less  intense  than  it  was 
here.  At  these  two  places,  living  upon  the  simplest 
fare,  enjoying  few  or  none  of  the  comforts  of  life, 
and  with  no  society  save  that  of  the  savage,  these 
men  were  found  content  to  pass  their  time  in 
endeavoring  to  diffuse  their  religion,  and  improve 
the  morals  of  their  uncivilized  neighbors.  Cap- 
tain McClellan  found  the  Fathers  ready  to  afford 
him  all  the  information  in  their  power,  and  to 
extend  their  personal  kindness  to  the  gentlemen 
of  his  party.  They  also  procured  good  guides  for 
the  expedition  and  acted  as  interpreters  with  the 
Indians,  Father  Pandozy,  in  particular,  being  famil- 
iar with  the  Yakima  tongue. 

The  mission  consisted  of  a  small  log  building 
divided  into  a  chapel  and  residence;  adjoining  to 
it  w^re  a  corral  for  horses  and  an  enclosed  garden. 
The  Fathers  stated  they  found  the  Yakimas  not 


THE    ATAHNAM   MISSION.  147 

very  teachable,  and  that  they  had  accomplished  very 
little  except  in  the  capacity  of  peace-makers. 

Kam-ai-ya-kan,  whom  Captain  McClellan  met 
at  the  mission,  was  the  only  one  of  three  brothers 
who  had  adopted  even  the  forms  of  religion,  and 
he  refused  to  be  baptized,  because  he  would  be 
compelled  to  put  away  his  surplus  wives,  of  whom 
he  had  several.  His  two  brothers,  Skloo  and 
Sha-wa-wai,  were  unchanged  heathens. 

After  remaining  at  the  Atahnam  mission  a 
couple  of  days  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  infor- 
mation about  the  country  and  the  Indians,  the 
expedition  continued  its  route,  on  August  20th, 
and  the  same  day  reached  Wenass,  whose  valley 
McClellan  considered  would  be  well  suited  for  a 
depot,  whence  minor  expeditions  could  proceed  -to 
survey  the  passes  of  the  mountain  range. 

Lieutenant  Hodges,  with  part  of  the  command, 
proceeded  north  by  the  Nahchess  pass  to  Steila- 
coom  on  Puget  Sound,  for  the  purpose  of  taking 
thither  several  of  the  animals  that  were  almost 
useless,  and  some  of  the  escort  found  incom- 
petent for  the  duties  that  wd  evolved  upon  them,  as 
well  as  bringing  back  additional  rations  and  fresh 
pack-horses.  Mr.  Lewes,  who  desired  to  be  relieved 
on  pressing  private  business,  accompanied  him.  Lieu- 
tenant Hodges  was  instructed  to  explore  the  here- 
tofore unknown  country  through  which  he  would 
pass.  Other-  parties  were  sent  with  Lieutenant 


148  PIONEER    WORK    IX   THE    NORTHWEST. 

Duncan  to  explore  the  upper  part  of  the  Yakima, 
and  with  Mr.  Gibbs  to  examine  that  river  to  its 
mouth,  while  Captain  McClellan  went  with  Mr/ 
Minter  and  six  men  to  survey  the  Nahchess  Pass. 

^However,  before  starting,  McClellan  received  a 
visit,  on  August  27th,  from  the  priests,  accom- 
panied by  Kam-ai-ya-kan,  the  particulars  of  which 
will  be  found  in  a  future  chapter.  The  visitors 
remained  all  night  at  the  camp,  and  after  a  "  talk" 
with,  the  chief  on  the  following  morning,  the 
Captain  started  to  overtake  his  party,  which  had 
moved  off  some  two  hours  before.  In  his  wander- 
ings among  the  mountains  he  discovered  that  the 
Indian  trails  seldom  followed  the  valleys,  but 
generally  kept  to  the  higher  ground,  where  the 
woods  were  less  dense.  The  Indian  evidently  pre- 
ferred riding  over  a  mountain  to  the  labor  of 
cutting  a  trail  over  more  level  ground — in  other 
words,  had  more  consideration  for  himself  than 
for  "his  horse.  Having  ascertained  the  impractica- 
bility of  the  Nahchess  pass  for  a  railway  route, 
Captain  McClellan  returned  to  the  depot  camp  at 
Wen-ass,  after  an  absence  of  two  days. 

Upon  the  receipt  of  information  from  Lieutenant 
Hodges  that  it  was  impossible  to  obtain  fresh 
mules  at  Steilacoom,  and  that  consequently  he 
would  be  unable  to  convey  all  the  supplies  he  had 
been  instructed  to  bring,  McClellan  determined 
to  reduce  his  party  to  the  smallest  practicable 


GOLD    DISCOVERED.  149 

number ;  therefore,  on  September  2d  he  dispatched 
Lieutenant  Mo  wry  to  the  Dalles  with  seventeen 
men,  of  whom  but  two  were  to  return,  taking  with 
them  all  collections  made  up  to  the  time,  and  every 
thing  that  could  be  dispensed  with. 

On  September  3d,  the  depot-camp  was  moved 
to  Ketetas,  fourteen  miles  north  of  Wenass,  on 
the  main  Yakima ;  and  on  the  following  day  Cap- 
tain McClellan  left  to  examine  the  pass  at  the  head 
of  that  stream.  The  exploration  of  this  pass  took 
several  days  and  led  to  the  conclusion  that  it 
was  also  unavailable  for  the  passage  of  the  rail- 
road. He  rejoined  the  main  party  at  Ketetas,  on 
the  12th,  and  found  some  of  his  command  in  a  high 
state  of  excitement  in  consequence  of  the  discovery  of 
small  quantities  of  gold  on  the  margin  of  the  river. 
They  were  at  the  time  most  industriously  searching 
for  more,  but  the  fever  soon  abated,  as  the  returns 
were  not  very  remunerative. 

During  the  Captain's  absence  from  Ketetas,  a 
large  Yakima  village  had  sprung  up  near  the  camp 
— the  people  belonging  to  the  band  of  Ow-hai,  one 
of  the  very  best  Indians  met  with  during  the 
journey. 

The  whole  course  of  the  Yakima  was  lined 
with  the  vestiges  of  deserted  villages.  During  an 
examination  of  the  lower  Yakima,  an  old  Indian 
guide  pointed  out  a  work  that  strongly  resembled 
the  earthworks  of  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  val- 


150         PIONEER    WOEK   IX    THE    NOKTHWEST. 

leys.  This  consisted  of  two  circles  of  earth  about 
eighty  yards  in  diameter  and  three  feet  high,  with 
a  ditch  between.  Within  were  about  twenty  cel- 
lars some  thirty  feet  across  and  three  feet  deep. 
The  entire  work  had  the  appearance  of  a  de- 
serted Indian  village,  but  the  guide,  a  great 
authority,  declared  it  to  have  been  constructed 
long  ago,  by  men  of  whom  his  people  knew  nothing, 
and  that  there  was  no  other  like  it  to  be  found. 
It  was  well  posted  for  defence  in  Indian  warfare. 
N"ot  far  off  were  other  cellars  uninclosed.  The 
Yakimas  appear  to  have  made  use  of  fortifications 
in  their  contests  with  other  tribes,  and  two  import- 
ant works  are  still  standing  in  their  country,  which 
were  erected  in  1847,  by  Skloo,  as  a  defence  against 
the  Cayuses. 

Whilst  waiting  for  the  return  of  Lieutenant 
Hodges,  several  small  parties  continued  searching- 
the  neighboring  streams  for  gold ;  however,  no  rich 
deposits  of  the  precious  metal  were  discovered. 

All  the  detached  expeditions  returned  to  the  camp 
previous  to  the  16th,  and  on  that  day  Lieutenant 
Hodges  arrived  from  Steilacoom.  As  he  had  been 
able  to  return  with  only  a  few  animals  and  a  small 
supply  of  provisions,  Captain  McClellan  considered 
.it  advisable  to  farther  reduce  his  command.  He, 
consequently,  dispatched  three  of  his  men  to  Dalles 
in  charge  of  several  miserable  horses,  and  availed 
himself  of  the  opportunity  to  forward  a  dispatch 


CHANGEABLE   TEMPEEATTJEE.  151 

~ 

to  the  Secretary  of  War,  in  which  he  gave  the  par- 
ticulars of  his  progress  up  to  that  time. 

Excessive  hot  weather,  except  on  the  mountain 
summits,  had  prevailed  from  Fort  Vancouver  to 
Ketetas.  The  heats  of  the  day  had  added  much  to 
the  hardships  both  of  the  men  and  the  animals,  whilst 
at  night  the  change  had  been  so  great  that  the  cold 
felt  quitys  unpleasant. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

PIONEER   WORK    IN   THE    NORTHWEST — CONTINUED. 

The  journey  resumed — Magnificent  panoramic  scene — Two  wicked 
women  and  what  became  of  them — Indian  sculpture — Valley 
of  the  Columbia — Forts  Okinakane  and  Colville — Arrival  of 
Governor  Stevens — Jesuit  mission — Strange  Indian  concep- 
tions— Snow  storm — Chemakane  mission — The  great  plain — 
Never-freezing  lake — Whitman's  mission — "Wallah-Wallah — 
Close  of  the  expedition — McClellan  sent  on  a  new  exploration 
— Insurmountable  difficulties — Great  depth  of  snow — Intense 
cold — Harbor  surveys — Official  appreciation  of  McClellan's 
,  abilities. 

r  I  ^HE  journey  was  resumed  on  September  19th, 
-*-  on  which  day  McClellan  and  his  companions  left 
Ketetas,  with  the  command  reduced  to  thirty-six 
persons,  including  the  Captain,  and  forty  saddle  and 
fifty-two  pack  animals. 

The  route  now  taken  was  directed  toward  the 
north.  Upon  the  second  day  of  travel,  the  train 
crossed  the  mountain  range  lying  between  the 
Yakima  and  the  Columbia.  On  reaching  the  crest 
the  explorers  beheld  in  astonishment  the  magnificent 
scene  which  lay  at  their  feet.  Captain  McClellan 
writes :  "  We  had  expected  to  find  the  country 
north  of  this  range  rather  level,  or,  at  most,  rolling 
and  covered  with  open  pine  woods.  Our  surprise 
may  be  imagined  when  the  view  spread  before  us 


MAGNIFICENT  PANORAMIC    SCENE.  153 

from  a  commanding  point,  a  little  below  the  summit, 
is  described.  Five  thousand  two  hundred  feet 
below  us  lay  the  Columbia,  apparently  almost  at 
our  feet;  so  small  and  insignificant  did  it  appear, 
that  we  could  not  believe  it  to  be  the  '  great  river.' 
In  front  of  us  the  Cascade  range  extended  directly 
to  the  river,  crossing  it,  in  fact ;  so  that,  to  the 
north  and  west,  there  was  nothing  to  be  seen  but 
mountain  piled  on  mountain — rugged  and  impass- 
able. About  west-northwest  was  a  handsome  snow- 
peak,  smaller  than  Mount  Baker;*  as  it  is  not  to 
be  found  on  any  previous  map  that  I  know  of,  and 
had  no  name,  I  called  it  Mount  Stuart.  Far  in  the 
distance  to  the  northward  was  seen  a  range,  run- 
ning nearly  east  and  west,  alongside  of  which  the 
Columbia  flows  before  reaching  Okinakane.  That 
portion  of  the  Cascade  range  which  crosses  the 
Columbia  sinks  into  an  elevated  plateau,  which 
extends  as  far  as  the  limit  of  vision  to  the  eastward 
— this  is  the  Spokane  plain.  On  it  we  could  see  no 
indication  of  water ;  not  a  single  tree,  except  on  the 
mountain  spur ;  not  one  spot  of  verdure.  It  was 
of  a  dead,  yellowish  hue,  with  large  clouds  of  black 
blending  into  the  general  tinge.  It  appeared  to  be 
a  sage  desert,  with  a  scanty  growth  of  dry  bunch 
grass,  and  frequent  outcroppings  of  basalt." 

On  striking  the  Columbia,  after  passing  the  moun- 

*  A  lofty  mountain  situated  in  the  northern  part  of  Washing- 
ton Territory. 
7* 


154  PIONEER   WOEK   IN   THE    NORTHWEST. 

tains  and  descending  by  a  very  steep  trail,  Ow-hai, 
who  accompanied  Captain  McClellan,  pointed  out 
one  of  the  lions  of  the  country,  in  the  shape  of  two 
columns  of  sandstone,  standing  together  but  apart 
from  the  bluff,  which  was  of  similar  material.  These 
he  stated  were  Ahn-cotte,  about  which  the  story 
runs  that  "once  upon  a  time"  two  women  of  the 
race  "  Elip  Tilicum,"  who  lived  here,  were  very 
wicked,  and  had  a  very  naughty  habit  of  killing  any 
person  that  passed  by.  The  Indians,  in  consequence, 
begged  the  Great  Spirit  to  destroy  them,  and  He, 
granting  their  prayer,  first  sent  an  enormous  bird 
to  pick  out  their  brains,  and  then  turned  their 
bodies  into  stone.  In  proof  of  all  this,  the  Indian 
narrator  pointed  out  a  hole  in  the  top  of  one  of  the 
columns  from  which  a  boulder  had  fallen,  as  the 
aperture  made  by  the  bird  when  he  extracted  his 
meal.  However,  it  is  more  reasonable  to  believe 
that  the  soft  sandstone  had  been  worked  into  the 
curious  shape  discerned,  by  the  joint  actiop  of  the 
water  and  the  atmosphere. 

A  short  distance  beyond,  Ow-hai  turned  a  little 
off  the  trail  to  point  out  to  the  party  another  curi- 
osity— a  perpendicular  rock,  on  the  face  of  which 
were  carved  sundry  figures,  most  of  them  intended 
for  men.  These  figures  were  slightly  sunk  in  the 
sandstone,  some  of  them,  colored  black  and  others 
red,  whilst  traces  of  paint  remained  more  or  less 
distinct  on  all.  These  were  also  stated  to  be  the 


VALLEY    OF   THE    COLUMBIA.      _  155 

work  of  the  ancient  race,  but  from  the  soft  nature 
of  the  rock,  and  the  freshness  of  some  of  the  paint, 
they  were  probably  not  of  extreme  antiquity. 

In  connection  with  these  wonderful  "  antiquities," 
no  information  could  be  obtained  from  the  Indians 
whether  they  possessed  any  tradition  of  their  own 
migration  from  another  country. 

Five  days  were  spent  in  traversing  the  valley  of 
the  Columbia  from  the  point  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Pisquouse,  where  it  was  first  reached,  to  the  mouth 
of  the  Methow,  where  the  river  bends  and  changes 
its  bed  from  a  northerly  to  a  westerly  direction. 
Then  continuing  along  the  valley  for  a  few  miles 
further,  the  explorers  arrived  at  Fort  Okinakane, 
near  the  point  where  the  river  of  that  name  flows 
into  the  Columbia.  The  valley  of  the  latter  was 
found  to  be  only  about  a  mile  in  breadth,  and  to 
contain  not  a  tree,  and  seldom  a  bush.  It  was 
bordered  by  steep  walls  of  trap,  lava,  and  sandstone, 
often  arranged  in  a  succession  of  high  plateaux  or 
steps.  The  deep  blue  water  of  the  river,  here  more 
than  three  hundred  yards  wide,  flowed  with  a  rapid, 
powerful  current,  and  appeared  to  be  the  only  life- 
like object  in  the  desert. 

Fort  Okinakane  was  a  trading  place  of  the  Hud- 
son's Bay  Company,  having  near  to  it  the  site  of 
one  of  Mr.  Astor's  old  posts.  It  consisted  of  but 
three  block  buildings,  surrounded  by  a  stockade,  in 
the  form  of  a  square.  The  entire  "garrison''  con- 


156  PIONEEB   WOEfe   IN   THE   NORTHWEST. 

sisted  of  Mr.  Lafleur,  the  superintendent,  and  two 
Indians,  from  the  former  of  whom  Captain  McClellan 
received  many  civilities. 

Leaving  some  of  the  most  fatigued  animals  with 
Mr.  Lafleur,  six  days  were  occupied  in  exploring  the 
Methow ;  and  after  returning  to  the  fort,  the  route 
was  continued  to  the  north,  along  the  western  bank 
of  the  Okinakane.  This  river  was  ascended  as  far 
as  the  great  lake,  which  was  reached  on  October 
10th.  The  trail  was  then  transferred  to  the  eastern 
side,  and  descended  the  stream  about  half  way, 
when  it  turned  to  the  east,  along  the  course  of  a 
small  stream  wThich  flows  into  the  Columbia  opposite 
Fort  Colville.  The  latter  river  was  here  found  .to 
have  resumed  a  northern  direction.  Mr.  Macdonald, 
the  gentleman  in  charge  of  the  post,  rendered  great 
assistance  to  Captain  McClellan,  in  providing  boats 
for  the  conveyance  of  the  stores  and  baggage  across 
the  stream,  on  the  eastern  bank  of  which  the  entire 
command  encamped  on  October  18th. 

This  fort  was  another  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  posts, 
and  the  next  in  importance  in  the  territory  to  Van- 
couver. It  was  once  a  place  of  considerable  value 
to  the  Company,  but  the  abandonment  of  a  route 
which  passed  it  reduced  its  trade.  The  population 
consisted  of  the  manager,  and  about  twenty  Cana- 
dians and  Indians.  Fifteen  other  Canadians,  former 
servants  of  the  Company,  had  settled  upon  claims  in 
the  neighborhood. 


STRANGE    INDIAN   CONCEPTIONS.  157 

Captain  McClellan  anticipated  that  he  might  here 
obtain  some  information  in  regard  to  Governor  Ste- 
vens's  command,  which  he  was  now  expecting  to 
meet  in  its  journey  from  the  east;  but  in  this  he 
was  disappointed.  However,  after  spending  some 
time  with  Mr.  Macdonald  at  the  fort,  he  repaired  to 
his  camp,  and  had  scarcely  reached  it,  about  nine 
o'clock  in  the  evening,  when  he  received  a  note  from 
that  gentleman,  giving  him  the  gratifying  intelli- 
gence of  Governor  Stevens's  arrival.  He  immedi- 
ately returned  to  the  fort,  and  at  eleven  o'clock 
the  party  sat  down  to  a  supper  prepared  by  Mrs. 
Macdonald,  and  regaled  themselves  with  steaks 
cooked  in  buffalo  fat,  which  gave  them  a  dainty 
flavor. 

During  the  stay  here,  a  visit  was  made  to  Mac- 
donald's  leap,  near  which  was  a  mission  under  the 
care  of  Father  Louis,  of  the  Jesuit  order,  who  on 
the  following  day  dined  with  the  explorers  at  Fort 
Colville.  In  the  evenings  spent  with  Mr.  Macdonald, 
after  glorious  suppers,  the  Governor  and  the  Captain 
were  attentive  listeners  to  thrilling  stories  and  excit- 
ing legends  related  to  them  by  their  host.  He  told 
them  that  intelligence  had  reached  him  through  the 
Blackfeet  of  the  approach  of  Governor  Stevens's 
party,  and  that  those  Indians  gave  most  singular 
accounts  of  every  thing  connected  with  it.  For  in- 
stance, they  said  that  the  horses  of  the  expedition 
had  claws  like  the  grizzly  bear;  that  they  climbed 


158  PIONEER  AVORK    IN   THE    NORTHWEST. 

steep  rocks,  holding  on  by  these  claws;  that  their 
necks  were  like  the  new  inoon;  and  that  their  neigh 
was  like  the  sound  of  distant  thunder. 

The  entire  party  left  Fort  Colville  on  October  22d, 
proceeding  to  the  south.  On  the  following  day, 
they  were  overtaken  by  a  snow  storm,  that  soon 
covered  the  ground  with  a  white  mantle  five  inches 
thick,  which,  however,  did  not  last  longer  than  a 
day.  A  pleasing  country  of  forests  and  prairies 
was  traversed  on  the  way  to  the  Spokane  river,  on 
which  is  the  Spokane  house,  an  old  Hudson's  Bay 
fort,  and  a  landmark  of  the  vicinity. 

A  visit  was  made  to  the  Chemakane  mission,  which 
lay  upon  the  road.  This  mission,  formerly  occupied 
by  Messrs.  Walker  and  Eel,  was  abandoned  in  1849, 
in  consequence  of  the  Cayuse  difficulty.  These  gen- 
tlemen labored  ardently  for  the  good  of  the  Indians. 
Walker,  who  was  a  capital  farmer,  taught  them 
agriculture,  and  they  mentioned  his  name  with 
great  respect.  The  house,  occupied  by  him  was  still 
standing,  but  that  in  which  Eel  resided  had  been 
burned  down.  The  Spokane  chief,  Garry,  met  the 
explorers  at  this  mission,  and  accompanied  them  on 
their  journey  to  his  village. 

A  rest  was  made  from  the  26th  to  the  30th  of 
October  on  the  Spokane  plain,  where  the  company 
was  increased  by  the  arrival  of  Governor  Stevens's 
main  party,  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Don- 
elson,  which  approached  from  the  east.  The  Gov- 


NEVER-FREEZING    LAKE.  159 

ernor  had  before  passed  this  point  on  his  road  to 
Fort  Colville,  where  he  proceeded  in  search  of  Mc- 
Clellan. 

From  the  Spokane,  the  train,  which  now  com- 
prised both  the  eastern  and  western  expeditions, 
passed  in  a  southwesterly  direction  over  the  Great 
Plain  of  the  Columbia  to  Fort  Wallah-Wallah,  on 
the  banks  of  that  river.  This  journey  lasted  eight 
days.  The  principal  characteristic  of  the  region  was 
an  entire  absence  of  trees,  but  it  is  far  from  being 
level,  as  the  name  would  lead  one  to  suppose.  Its  low- 
est elevation  is  two  thousand  feet  above  the  ocean. 

The  animals  and  the  living  creatures  found  on  this 
plain  are  principally  the  badger,  coyote  or  barking 
wolf,  cock  of  the  plains  or  sage  fowl,  the  sharp-tailed 
grouse  or  prairie  chicken,  horned  lizards,  and  rattle- 
snakes. 

Garry  assured  the  travellers  that  about  thirty 
miles  east  of  their  trail  there  was  to  be  found  a  re- 
markable lake,  called  En-chush-chesh-she-luxum,  or 
Never-Freezing  Water.  This  lake,  he  said,  is  so 
completely  surrounded  by  high  and  precipitous  rocks, 
that  it  is  impossible  to  descend  to  the  water,  which 
never  freezes,  even  in  the  most  severe  winter.  The 
Indians  believe  that  it  is  inhabited  by  buffalo,  deer, 
elk,  and  other  kinds  of  game,  which  they  say  may 
be  seen  in  the  clear,  transparent  element. 

The  two  divisions  of  the  expedition  took  different 
routes  across  the  plain.  Captain  McClellan,  in  his 


160  PIONEER   WORK    IN   THE    NORTHWEST. 

course,  passed  an  old  mission,  formerly  occupied 
by  Mr.  Whitman,  whose  death  was  caused  by  the 
false  reports  of  a  troublesome  half-breed,  who  re- 
ported having  heard  Mrs.  Whitman  say  to  her  hus- 
band, when  speaking  of  the  Indians:  "We  will  get 
rid  of  them  some  day."  It  was  evident  from  the 
state  of  cultivation  to  which  the  country  had  been 
brought,  that  the  missionary  must  have  done  much 
good  to  the  Indians. 

On  November  Yth,  Captain  McClellan  reached 
Wallah- Wallah,  another  fort  of  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Company,  in  the  neighborhood  of  which  are  many 
farms  occupied  by  its  former  servamts.  He  left  it 
on  the  following  day,  Governor  Stevens  having 
preceded  him,  and  followed  the  river  trail  westward 
to  the  Dalles,  a  station  of  the  United  States  army, 
where  he  arrived  on  the  15th.  The  total  distance 
thus  far  travelled  since  leaving  Vancouver,  including 
the  tract  of  country  passed  over  by  the  main  party, 
and  the  detached  parties  under  McClellan's  own 
immediate  command,  was  one  thousand  and  fifty-one 
miles. 

Upon  arriving  at  this  point  the  animals  were  so 
worn  out  that  they  were  unable  to  carry  loads  down 
the  river  trail  at  the  advanced  state  of  the  season. 
They  were,  therefore,  sent  forward  without,  on  the 
17th,  and  on  the  same  day  the  party  moved  down 
the  river  in  the  small  steamer  Allen  and  arrived  at 
Fort  Vancouver  late  in  the  night  of  the  18th, — the 


ON    A    NEW    EXPEDITION.  161 

latter  part  of  the  voyage,  from  the  Cascades,  having 
been  made  in  open  boats,  and  the  whole  of  it 
amid  a  drenching  rain.  The  Cascades  are  fifty 
miles  above  Fort  Vancouver.  The  Indians  stated 
that  the  river  was  originally  perfectly  free  at  this 
spot,  but  that  its  gradual  encroachments  upon  the 
precipitous  banks  at  length  gave  rise  to  a  land-slide, 
which,  falling  into  the  river,  made  a  natural  dam. 
The  portage  round  the  Cascades  was  one  mile  and  a 
half  in  length,  a  wooden  railroad  being  in  use  for  the 
transportation  of  canoes. 

At  Vancouver  Captain  McClellan's  party  was 
broken  up,  and  the  portion  required  for  office  work 
sent  to  Olympia ;  he  was,  however,  necessarily  de- 
tained at  the  former  place,  and  did  not  reach  the 
latter  until  the  16th  of  December. 

McClellan  was  not  allowed  to  rest  long  at  the 
capital  of  the  Territory,  for  on  the  23d  of  the 
same  month  he  was  dispatched  upon  a  new  mission 
to  survey  the  line  for  the  railroad  from  the  Sno- 
qualme  pass  in  the  Cascade  range  to  the  various 
harbors  on  the  sound ;  as  well  as  to  examine  the 
several  ports  for  the  purpose  of  determining  upon 
the  most  available  one  for  a  terminus. 

On  the  day  named  the  new  expedition,  consisting 
of  six  persons,  left  Olympia  in  a  canoe,  manned  by 
three  Indians,  and  arrivec}  at  Steilacoom  the  same 
night.  At  the  latter  place  McClellan  found  it  im- 
possible to  make  any  arrangements  for  land  trans- 


162  PIONEER   AVORK    IN   THE    NORTHWEST. 

portation,  the  Indians  representing  to  him  that  the 
road  was  impracticable  for  animals  at  that  season. 
But  he  AY  as  not  to  be  foiled,  and  determined  to 
proceed  in  two  canoes  to  the  falls  of  the  Snoqualme, 
and  thence  as  far  as  might  seem  advisable  on  foot. 

Five  days  were  spent  at  Steilacoom  in  a  fruit- 
less endeavor  to  obtain  horses  and  guides,  and, 
in  consequence  of  the  height  of  the  water,  six 
more  were  consumed  in  passing  over  the  sound 
and  up  the  river  to  the  falls,  a  distance  of  some 
fifty-two  miles. 

The  latter  point  was  reached  on  January  7th, 
1854,  when  McClellan  and  a  portion  of  his  party 
walked  to  a  small  prairie  a  few  miles  distant,  where 
they  reached  the  bivouac  of  the  Indian  horse- 
guard.  Before  arriving  at  the  falls  the  Captain  was 
informed  by  some  Yakimas  that  he  would  meet 
with  very  little  snow  on  the  prairie,  which  proved  to 
be  the  case ;  but  that  beyond,  the  depth  gradually 
increased ;  that  it  was  up  to  the  armpits  at  some 
little  distance  on  the  road  to  the  mountains;  and 
that  at  the  summit  of  the  pass  it  was  not  less  than 
twenty-five  feet  deep.  Beyond  this,  he  was  inform- 
ed, the  snow  was  so  light  and  dry.  that  the  use 
of  snow-shoes  was  impracticable,  but  at  the  expira- 
tion of  "  two  moons  and  a  half"  it  would  pack 
down  and  be  sufficiently  hard  to  allow  either  horses 
or  snow-shoes  to  pass  over  it. 

It  thus  appeared  utterly  impossible  for  the  expe- 


IN   THE    SNOW.  163 

dition  to  reach  its  destination.  However,  leaving 
his  companions  at  the  Indian  bivouac  to  make  the 
best  preparations  they  could  for  passing  the  night — 
for  the  travellers  had  neither  tent,  blanket,  nor 
overcoat — McClellan  went  forward  on  the  trail  with 
two  Indians  to  reconnoitre  the  road.  As  soon  as 
he  left  the  prairie  he  found  the  ground  entirely 
covered  with  snow,  which  soon  became  a  foot  deep 
in  the  shallowest  spots,  and  increased  in  depth  as 
he  proceeded.  All  signs  of  a  trail  were  obliterated, 
and,  as  he  had  been  informed,  the  snow  was  totally 
unfit  for  passing  over  with  snow-shoes. 

McClellan,  consequently,  soon  returned  to  the 
bivouac,  where  he  awaited  the  arrival  of  an  Indian, 
who  was  out  hunting,  for  the  purpose  of  hearing 
his  report  of  the  state  of  the  road.  The  latter 
proved  to  be  a  Yakima  whom  he  had  met  beyond 
the  mountains  in  the  summer.  From  him  he  ascer- 
tained that  the  snow  soon  increased  to  "  waist- 
deep,"  and  that  no  Indian  ever  attempted  to  cross 
the  mountains  at  that  time  of  the  year. 

The  next  morning,  after  making  further  inquiries, 
the  Captain  reluctantly  came  to  the  conclusion  that, 
if  it  were  not  then  positively  impracticable  to  reach 
the  pass,  it  was  certainly  inexpedient  to  make  the 
attempt. 

To  add  to  other  discomfitures,  McClellan  dis- 
covered that  the  barometer  furnished  to  him  was 
entirely  worthless. 


164  PIONEER  WORK    IN   THE  NORTHWEST. 

On  January  10th,  Captain  McClellan  and  his  party 
retraced  their  route  homewards,  with  the  determina- 
tion of  examining  the  harbors  of  the  sound  on  their 
way ;  and  on  the  evening  of  the  following  day  en- 
camped near  the  mouth  of  the  Snoqualme  river.  On 
the  night  of  the  12th,  the  explorers  encamped  at  the 
head  of  Macdonough's  Island,  with  the  intention  of 
going  to  Bellingham  Bay  on  the  morrow;  but  a 
heavy  fall  of  snow  during  the  night,  and  a  strong 
gale  next  day,  rendered  it  impossible  for  the  canoe 
to  proceed  in  safety. 

On  the  14th,  the  wind  still  continuing  dead  ahead 
and  very  violent,  it  was  deemed  advisable  to  turn 
back.  At  Seattle  the  ice  gave  much  trouble  and 
compelled  the  pioneers  to  abandon  further  harbor 
researches ;  they,  therefore,  continued  on  their  course 
to  Steilacoom,  which  was  reached  on  the  18th,  and 
thence  to  Olympia,  where  they  arrived  on  the  21st, 
after  having,  during  their  trip,  suffered  considerably 
from  intense  cold,  and  endured  much  discomfiture 
from  snow,  cold  rain,  and  sleet. 

The  result  of  the  examination  of  harbors  led  Mc- 
Clellan to  decide  upon  Seattle,  as  by  far  the  best 
adapted  of  any  in  that  district  for  the  terminus  of  the 
railroad,  in  consequence  of  its  easy  approach,  depth  of 
water,  good  holding-ground,  and  sheltered  position. 

His  survey  of  the  Cascade  range  induced  him  to 
consider  the  Columbia  River  Pass  as  that  most 
practicable  for  the  railroad,  as  a  line  through  the 


HANDSOME   TRIBUTE.  165 

Yakima  Pass,  though  more  direct,  would  entail  con- 
siderable tunnelling  and  high  gradients,  and  present 
obstacles  not  found  in  the  former. 

Captain  McClellan  spent  the  remainder  of  the 
winter  at  Olympia  in  the  preparation  of  his  reports, 
which  were  afterwards  published  in  the  first  volume 
of  the  magnificent  work  on  the  several  Pacific  Rail- 
road Explorations,  in  twelve  quarto  volumes,  issued 
by  order  of  Congress. 

Upon  the  junction,  on  the  banks  of  the  Spokane 
river,  of  the  eastern  and  western  divisions  of  the  ex- 
ploration expedition  under  his  charge,  Governor  Ste- 
vens issued  an  order  congratulating  his  associates  on 
the  successful  accomplishment  of  the  great  object  of 
their  joint  labors,  a  copy  of  which  appears  in  the  same 
volume.  In  this  paper,  he  pays  the  following  hand- 
some tribute  to  those  engaged  in  the  latter  division  : 

"  To  Captain  McClellan,  his  officers  and  men,  too 
much  credit  cannot  be  ascribed  for  their  indefati- 
gable exertions,  and  the  great  ability  of  all  kinds 
brought  to  their  division  of  the  work.  They  can 
point  with  just  pride  to  the  determination  of  two 
practicable  passes  in  that  most  formidable  barrier 
from  the  Mississippi  to  the  Pacific,  of  the  Cascade 
range,  and  to  a  most  admirable  development  of  the 
unknown  geography  of  the  region  eastward  to  the 
Columbia,  as  showing  the  unsurpassed  skill  and  de- 
votion which  has  characterized  the  chief  of  the 
division  and  all  of  his  associates." 


166  PIONEER  WORK   IN   THE   NORTHWEST. 

The  Secretary  of  War,  in  his  report  to  Congress, 
also  compliments  Captain  McClellan,  for  the  manner 
in  which  he  fulfilled  his  duties  in  this  exploration,  in 
the  following  honorable  terms : 

"The  examination  of  the  approaches  and  passes 
of  the  Cascade  mountains,  made  by  Captain  Mc- 
Clellan, of  the  corps  of  engineers,  presents  a  recon- 
noissance  of  great  value,  and,  though  performed 
under  adverse  circumstances,  exhibits  all  the  infor- 
mation necessary  to  determine  the  practicability  of 
this  portion  of  the  route,  and  reflects  the  highest 
credit  on  the  capacity  and  resources  of  that  officer." 


CHAPTER  X. 

INTERVIEWS    WITH   THE    INDIANS. 

Importance  of  Indian  friendship — The  Klikatats — Indian  Yankees 
— A  cherished  calendar — The  Yakimas  and  their  chiefs — False 
reports — A  "talk"  with  Skloo — Council  with  Kam-ai-ya-kan — 
Ow-hai  and  his  band — Elegance  of  Indian  dress — The  Pis- 
quouses — An  aspirant  for  regal  honors — Election  of  a  chief — 
Indian  horse-race — Disposal  of  the  dead — Curious  genealogical 
tree — Garry,  the"  Spokane  chief — An  Jndian  welcome — Indian 
religious  worship — Garry's  hospitality — McClellan  punishes 
his  proposed  assassin — Pu-pu-mux-mux,  and  how  he  defied 
the  Cayuses — Interesting  relic. 

a  preceding  chapter  we  mentioned  that  it 
was  one  of  Captain  McClellan's  duties,  during 
his  northwestern  survey,  to  cultivate  friendly  rela- 
tions with  the  Indians  over  whose  lands  the  expedi- 
tion would  pass.  Numerous  tribes  met  him  on  his 
journey,  and  expressed  an  eager  desire  to  learn  all  the 
particulars  of  the  objects  and  intentions  of  his  visit. 
These  people  were  naturally  suspicious  that  the 
white  man  was  intent  upon  wresting  from  them  their 
lands,  and  depriving  them  of  their  heritage, — a  fate 
to  which  they  too  well  knew  many  of  their  race  had 
been  subjected.  Consequently,  McClellan's  niter- 
course  with  the  Indians  had  to  be  conducted  with  all 
the  care  and  forbearance  of  a  diplomatic  mission. 


168  INTERVIEWS    WITH    THE   INDIANS. 

A  just  appreciation  of  their  rights  to  their  lands, 
and  a  frankness  in  explaining  to  them  the  objects  of 
the  visit,  was  the  surest  means  of  obtaining  their  aid 
and  winning  their  friendship.  In  the  various  "  coun- 
cils" held,  and  the  various  "talks"  had  with  the 
petty  monarchs  of  the  plains,  Captain  McClellan  was 
very  fortunate  in  being  enabled  in  every  case  to 
subdue  any  antagonistic  feeling  they  may  have  pos- 
sessed, and  to  draw  from  them  not  only  promises  of 
amity,  but  performances  which  proved  that  they 
were  sincere. 

If  the  Indian  roams  over  the  wilds  in  all  the 
freedom  of  savage  life,  he  is,  after  all,  a  man,  whose 
heart,  like-  that  of  the  more  civilized,  is  softened  by 
kindness,  but  is  steeled  by  harshness.  Captain 
McClellan  well  knew,  if  the  dictates  of  his  own 
heart  did  not  teach  him,  the  proper  course  to  follow, 
whereby  he  could  make  the  semi-savage  a  faithful 
friend.  He  met  the  Indians  in  a  fair  and  generous 
spirit,  and  the  results  are  evidenced  in  the  willingness 
they  displayed  to  aid  him  in  his  arduous  duties. 

The  Klikatat  was  the  first  tribe  fallen  in  with 
after  the  Cascade  range  had  been  passed.  The 
lands  of  this  tribe  were  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Klikatat 
river.  Its  people  and  the  Yakimas,  who  were 
shortly  afterwards  met,  were  identical  in  all  the 
essentials  of  character.  They  both  manifested  a 
remarkable  aptitude  for  trading,  and  held  towards 
the  neighboring  tribes  a  position  not  unlike  that 


A   CHEKISHED   CALENDAR.  1C9 

once  possessed  by  the  "Yankees"  in  the  western 
States — the  travelling  retailers  of  notions — purchas- 
ing from  the  whites,  feathers,  beads,  cloth,  and 
other  articles  prized  by  Indians,  and  exchanging 
them  for  horses,  which,  in  turn,  they  sold  to  the  set- 
tlements. The  salmon  furnished  to  them,  as  to  most 
tribes  of  the  Pacific,  the  principal  staple  of  food. 
This,  and  deer,  the  black  bear,  berries  which  grew 
in  profusion,  and  other  productions  of  the  animal 
and  vegetable  world,  gave  them  ample  sustenance. 

Their  habitations  consisted  of  rude  huts  covered 
with  mats.  They  cultivated  potatoes,  melons, 
squashes,  together  with  a  little  barley  and  Indian 
corn.  The  patriarchal  institutions  of  slavery  and 
polygamy  were  retained  among  them,  the  number 
of  wives  being  only  limited  to  the  wealth  of  the 
husband.  One  of  their  marriage  laws  compelled 
the  father  of  a  wife  to  refund  the  purchase  money 
to  the  bereaved  husband,  in  the  event  of  her  dying  a 
short  time  after  marriage.  A  similar  rule  existed 
with  regard  to  the  purchase  of  horses  and  slaves. 

The  old  chief  of  the  Klikatats,  Tow-e-toks,  showed 
to  Captain  McClellan's  party  a  paper  he  had  pre- 
served with  great  care,  on  which  some  person  had 
prepared  a  sort  of  calendar  or  record  of  the  days  of 
the  week.  As  it  was  nearly  worn  out,  he  expressed 
much  anxiety  lest  he  should  be  unable  to  distin- 
guish the  Sundays,  and  desired  that  a  new  calendar 
might  be  prepared  for  him.  The  missionaries 


170  INTERVIEWS    WITH    THE    INDIANS. 

appeared  to  have  influenced  the  mind  of  this  Indian, 
who  stated  that  he  constantly  "talked  with  the 
Chief  above." 

Captain  McClellan  made  a  small  present  to  the 
old  chief,  and  distributed  some  tobacco  among  the 
men.  He  did  not,  however,  consider  it  necessary 
to  enter  into  a  formal  talk  with  the  Klikatat  tribe, 
beyond  casually  explaining  to  them  the  objects  of 
his  visit,  and  a  few  other  points. 

With  the  Yakimas,  however,  it  was  necessary 
that  the  Captain  should  hold  a  more  lengthy  con- 
ference. It  was  very  important  that  a  proper  im- 
pression should  be  made  upon,  and  a  friendly  under- 
standing established  with  them,  as  their  country 
was  to  become  a  thoroughfare  for  the  whites. 

The  Yakimas  occupied  the  district  drained  by  the 
river  of  the  same  name.  They  were  divided  into 
two  principal  bands,  over  one  of  which  there  were 
three  chiefs — Kam-ai-ya-kan  and  his  brothers  Skloo 
and  Sha-wa-wai — and  over  the  other  Te-eh-yas  and 
Ow-hai.  Of  all  these,  Kam-ai-ya-kan  possessed  the 
greatest  authority,  none  of  the  rest  undertaking 
any  matter  of  importance  without  consulting  him. 
He  lived  with  the  missionaries,  and  was  much 
under  their  influence.  Skloo  was  accused  of  being 
tyrannical  and  overbearing,  and  Sha-wa-wai  of 
indolence  and  want  of  force.  The  other  two 
chiefs  were  intelligent,  and  bore  very  good 
characters.  All  five  appeared  friendly  towards 


FALSE    REPORT.  171 

the  whites,  whose  superiority  they  had  sense  enough 
to  understand. 

On  leaving  the  mountains,  the  Captain  first 
encountered  Skloo,  a  tall,-  fine  looking,  and  very 
dark  skinned  man,  who  came  up  to  his  camp,  attend- 
ed by  Wee-ni-nah,  a  sub-chief.  McClellan  had  al- 
ready met  with  an  amusing  instance  of  Indian 
craft,  in  which  Skloo  had  proved  to  be  the  principal 
actor.  A  .small  party  of  Indians  visited  the  camp 
at  Chequoss,  and  stated  that  they  had  been  told 
the  expedition  was  approaching  the  Yakima  coun- 
try for  the  purpose  of  seizing  their  horses  and 
cattle,  robbing  them  of  their  lands,  and  killing  them 
if  they  showed  any  resistance ;  and  that  Skloo  and 
his  brother,  Kam-ai-ya-kan,  were  determined  to 
oppose  the  invasion.  This  report  did  not  create  any 
uneasiness  in  Captain  McClellan's  mind,  further 
than  that  it  might  alarm  the  Indians,  and  prevent 
the  necessary  intercourse  with  them.  It  was  evi- 
dently a  fabrication  of  Skloo's  for  the  purpose  of 
learning  the  object  of  the  expedition.  In  a  short 
talk  which  McClellan  held  with  him,  he  satisfacto- 
rily explained  this,  and  the  Indian,  in  return,  gave 
what  information  he  possessed  about  the  moun- 
tain trails.  It  was  afterwards  ascertained  that 
this  chief  had  a  very  few  friends,  but  his  manly 
deportment  left  a  more  favorable  impression  on  the 
minds  of  the  explorers  than  did  the  appearance  of 
other  Indians  who  possessed  far  more  enviable 


172  INTERVIEWS    WITH   THE    INDIANS. 

characters.  A  small  present,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
was  presented  by  the  Captain  to  this  attractive 
Indian  gentleman  on  his  departure. 

We  have  already  stated  that  Kam-ai-ya-kan,  the 
principal  chief  of  the  Yakimas,  was  found  at  the 
Atahnam  mission,  and  that,  in  company  with  the 
priests,  he  afterwards  paid  a  formal  visit  to  Captain 
McClgllan,  at  his  camp  at  Wenass. 

The  chief  was  a  large,  gloomy  looking  Indian, 
with  a  very  long  and  strongly  marked  face,  slovenly 
in  dress,  but  said  to  be  generous  and  honest.  The 
visitors,  it  will  be  remembered,  spent  the  night 
with  the  Captain.  On  the  following  morning  the 
latter  had  a  long  "  talk"  with  the  chief,  the  priests 
acting  as  interpreters.  He  explained  to  the  Indian 
the  general  nature  of  the  American  Government,  as 
far  as  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  understand.  He 
also  told  him  the  rank  that  Governor  Stevens,  who 
was  coming  with  a  party  across  the  Rocky  mountains, 
held  in  the  country.  He  expressed  the  hope  that  the 
good  disposition  Kain-ai-ya-kan  had  shown  towards 
the  whites  would  be  maintained ;  that  if  any  injury 
was  done  by  them  to  his  people  they  were  not  to  seek 
revenge,  but  to  complain  to  the  Governor,  who 
would  redress  it;  and  that  i£any  injury  was  suffered 
by  the  whites  from  the  Indians,  he  would  expect 
the  chief  to  punish  the  offenders.  Captain  McClellan 
also  stated  that  it  was  the  intention  of  the  whites 
to  make  a  wagon  road  across  the  mountains,  and 


173 

that  many  would  undoubtedly  pass  through  their 
country.  Should  any  of  the  travellers  be  in  need, 
he  wished  the  chief  to  assist  them.  Their  coming, 
he  said,  would  be  an  advantage  to  his  people,  for 
they  would  buy  their  potatoes  and  exchange  cattle 
that  had  become  tired  by  long  travel,  for  others 
which  were  fat,  paying  for  the  exchange.  In  con- 
clusion, he  added  that  the  Great  White  Chief  had 
instructed  him,  when  he  met  with  friendly  chiefs 
among  the  Indians,  to  present  them  with  a  gift  he 
had  sent  them. 

A  handsome  present  of  some  Indian  goods  was 
thereupon  given  to  Kam-ai-ya-kan.  The  latter  then 
made  a  suitable  reply,  in  which  he  referred  to 
a  subject  previously  mentioned  by  Skloo,  to  the 
effect  that  the  negotiations  of  white  men  pre- 
tending to  be  chiefs  proved  that  they  were  not 
very  particular  in  the  purchase  of  their  lands; 
and  stated  he  had  heard  that  white  men  would 
give  a  few  presents  and  then  pretend  they  had 
bought  the  property.  The  Captain  informed  him 
who  were  the  only  persons  empowered  to  make 
these  purchases  or  to  treat  with  the  Indians. 
With  this  the  chief  expressed  himself  satisfied ; 
and  McClellan  had  no  reason  to  doubt  his  sincerity, 
for  in  a  number  of  instances  he  displayed  an  honesty 
not  often  found  among  Indians. 

Our  readers  will  also  recollect  that  when  McClellan 
returned  to  his  camp  at  Ketetas  from  the  explora- 


174  INTERVIEWS    WITH    THE    INDIANS. 

tion  of  the  pass  at  the  head  of  the  Yakima,  he  found 
an  Indian  tribe  under  the  chieftainship  of  Ow-hai 
had  established  itself  close  by.  This  chief  was  about 
fifty  years  of  age,  and  had  a  very  pleasant  face, 
with  a  high  but  retreating  forehead,  of  which  he 
was  somewhat  vain.  His  brother,  Te-eh-yas,  having 
gone  to  Puget  Sound,  was  consequently  not  seen 
by  the  Captain.  When  speaking  of  him,  Ow-hai 
remarked  that  lie  had  a  big  head  and  thought 
much,  adding,  as  he  touched  his  own,  "  like 
myself."  The  chief  remained  with  the  explorers 
whilst  they  encamped  at  Ketetas,  and  afterwards 
accompanied  them  as  far  as  the  Pisquouse.  In  a 
"talk"  with  him,  Captain  McClellan  communicated 
information  similar  to  that  given  to  Ivam-ai-ya-kaii. 
Ow-hai's  band  traded  much  more  with  Puget  Sound 
than  the  others,  and  the  chief  consequently  knew 
more  about  the  trails. 

His  tribe  was  much  better  dressed  than  those 
previously  met  with.  The  young  men  and  women 
affected  more  of  their  native  costume  than  the  older 
people  did.  The  chief's  two  sons,  both  tall,  hand- 
some men,  had  their  blankets  and  dress  profusely  orna- 
mented, and  the  wife  of  one  of  them,  a  very  pretty 
woman,  wore  a  dress  stiff  with  beads  and  porcupine 
quills.  Ow-hai  himself,  on  the  contrary,  appeared 
in  a  full  American  suit,  and  touched  his  hat  by  way 
of  salutation — a  compliment  which  he  clearly  ex- 
pected to  be  noticed  and  returned.  He,  like  Kam- 


AN   ASPIRAXT   FOR   REGAL   HONORS.  175 

ai-ya-kan,  had  adopted  some  of  the  forms  of  religion, 
and  professed  to  pray  habitually,  but  it  was  much 
to  be  feared  he  was  not  altogether  sincere  in  his 
devotions.  He  was  a  man  of  considerable  under- 
standing, and  appeared  inclined  to  profit  by  the 
example  of  the  whites. 

North  of  the  Yakima  country  lay  that  of  the 
Pisquouse,  who  were  very  much  intermarried  with  the 
former  tribe.  Several  of  their  bands  had  been  united 
under  one  principal  chief,  Stal-koo-sum,  a  man  of 
great  note  among  them,  who  was  killed  a  few 
years  prior  to  McClellan's  visit,  in  a  fight  with  the 
Blackfeet,  since  which  occurrence  there  had  been  no 
head  of  the  tribe.  The  late  chief's  son,  Quil-tan-ei- 
nok,  or  Louis,  was  a  candidate  for  his  father's  throne, 
and  visited  the  camp  at  Ketetas  for  the  purpose 
of  recommending  himself  to  the  Captain's  patron- 
age. He  came  under  the  auspices  of  Ow-hai,  who 
was  interested  in  his  promotion.  It  seemed  de- 
sirable, if  possible,  to  unite  the  scattered  elements 
of  the  empire  under  one  head,  and  the  better  to 
ascertain  the  character  of  the  aspirant  for  regal 
honors,  he  was  engaged  by  McClellan  as  a  guide. 
It  may  be  here  remarked,  that  though  the  chiefdom 
of  the  petty  bands  or  villages  appeared  to  be  heredi- 
tary, it  did  not  always  follow  that  the  person  who  had 
placed  himself  at  the  head  of  the  tribe  transmitted 
his  power.  Quil-tan-ei-nok  had  used  every  effort  to 
succeed  in  the  obiect  of  his  ambition,  but  had  been 


176  INTERVIEWS    WITH   THE   INDIANS.  * 

unsuccessful,  and,  as  the  sequel  will  show,  was 
doomed  to  further  disappointment. 

On  reaching  the  mouth  of  the  Pisquouse,  Captain 
McClellan  advised  the  Indians,  in  connection  with 
their  neighbors,  to  choose  a  head  chief,  who  would 
represent  them  all,  and  talk  for  them  with  the  chief 
of  the  whites.  He,  at  the  same  time,  promised  that 
if  they  agreed  amongst  themselves  upon  a  proper 
person,  the  Governor  would  give  him  a  great  writing 
signifying  his  assent.  McClellan  also  distributed 
some  presents  among  the  Indians, — that  given  to 
Quil-tan-ei-nok  being  the  largest,  so  that  he  might 
at  least  have  honor  amongst  his  own  people.  When 
the  election  came  off,  however,  he  was  defeated,  and 
by  a  candidate  whose  name  had  not  been  previously 
mentioned. 

At  this  place,  the  pioneers  were  offered  the  amuse- 
ment of  a  horse-race;  and  on  Captain  McClellan 
promising  a  yard  of  red  cloth  as  the  prize,  a  gen- 
eral enthusiasm  seized  upon  the  whole  tribe.  Mr. 
Gibbs,  one  of  the  exploring  party,  remarks  of  this 
race,  that  "horses  were  sought  in  every  direction, 
that  would  stand  a  chance  of  winning,  and  in  a 
short  time  a  dozen  of  the  best  came  up  to  the 
starting-point.  A  goal  was  fixed  on  the  plain,  at 
some  distance,  which  they  were  to  turn  around  and 
return ;  and  at  a  signal  from  the  chief,  they  stripped 
— riot  the  horses,  but  the  riders — doffing  their  blan- 
kets, and  other  inconvenient  articles,  and  appearing 


AN    INDIAN   HORSE-RACE.  177 

in  costumes  of  primitive  simplicity.  One  rider  wore 
a  pair  of  moccasins,  another  sported  a  shirt,  while 
with  a  third,  a  streak  or  t\vo  of  red  paint,  judiciously 
disposed,  gave  every  requisite  distinction.  There 
was  some  very  pretty  running,  and  still  better  jockey- 
ing ;  but  as  the  distance  was  unmeasured,  and  no- 
body took  note  of  the  time,  an  official  report  cannot 
be  given.  The  winner,  who  rode  a  handsome  gray 
gelding,  carried  off  a  prize  that  a  few  years  before  * 
was  worth  as  much  as  his  horse/' 

But  the  new  Pisquouse  chief  was  not  the  only 
Indian  invested  with  monarchical  honors,  and  first 
surrounded  with  the  "pomp  of  power"  during 
Captr.in  McClellan's  explorations  in  these  regions. 
Whilst  he  was  in  the  country  of  the  Okinakanes  six 
of  the  bands  Belonging  in  part  to  each  tribe  agreed 
upon  Ke-kch-tum-nouse,  or  Pierre,  as  their  chief. 
This  Indian  belonged  to  Klahum,  the  site  of  Astor's 
old  fort,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Okinakane. 

At  Fort  Okinakane,  a  mode  of  disposing  of  the 
dead  was  observed  differing  from  that  customary 
among  the  tribes  through  whose  countries  the  party 
had  passed.  The  latter  buried  the  dead,  but  here 
the  bodies  were  wrapped  in*  blankets,  or  other 
clothing,  and  bound  to  trunks  of  trees,  at  a  sufficient 
distance  from  the  ground  tQ  preserve  them  from 
wild  animals. 

On  leaving  this  fort,  the  new  chief,  attended  by 
two  of  his  'subjects,  accompanied   the  explorers  to 
8* 


178  INTERVIEWS    WITH   THE   1NDIAXS. 

Fort  Colville,  in  the  capacity  of  a  guide.  The  caval- 
cade was  enlarged  on  the  road  by  the  addition  of  the 
chief  of  the  Saht-lil-kwu  band,  a  religious  person 
who  sported  the  title  of  King  George.  This  poten- 
tate, however,  was  not  the  only  Indian  in  Washing- 
ton Territory  who  assumed  this  royal  name.  Mr. 
Gibbs  informs  us,  that  the  head  chief  of  all  the 
Clallams — or  the  S'Klallams,  as  they  call  themselves 
— whose  country  lay  near  the  coast,  was  S'Hai-ak,  or 
King  George,  a  very  different  personage  to  his  name- 
sake on  the  west  of  the  mountains.  The  father  of 
this  chief,  Lach-ka-nam,  or  Lord  jSTelson,  had  abdi- 
cated in  favor  of  his  son,  but  was  then  living. 

Mr.  Gibbs  gives  the  following  humorous  ac- 
count of  the  nomenclature  of  some  of  the  Clal- 
lams :  "  Most  of  the  principal  men  of  the  tribe  have 
received  names,  either  from  the  English  or  the 
'  Bostons ;'  and  the  genealogical  tree  of  the  royal 
family  presents  as  miscellaneous  an  assemblage  of 
characters  as  a  masked  ball  in  carnival.  Thus,  two 
of  King  George's  brothers  are  the  Duke  of  York  and 
General  Gaines.  His  cousin  is  Tom.  Benton,  and 
his  sons,  by  Queen  Victoria,  are  General  Jackson 
and  Thomas  Jefferson.  The  Queen  is  daughter  to 
the  Duke  of  Clarence,  -and  sister  to  Generals 
Scott  and  Taylor,  as  &lso  to  Mary  Ella  Coffin,  the 
wife  of  John  C.  Calhoun.  The  Duke  of  York's 
wife  is  Jenny  Lind  ;  a  brother  of  the  Duke  of  Clar- 
ence is  John  Adarns;  and  Calhoun's  sons  are' James 


GAERY,    THE    SPOKANE    CHIEF.  IT 9 

K..Polk,  General  Lane,  and  Patrick  Henry.  King 
George's  sister  is  the  daughter  of  the  late  Flattery 
Jack.  All  of  them  have  papers  certifying  to  these 
and  various  other  items  of  information,  which  they 
exhibit  with  great  satisfaction." 

These  people,  however,  it  would  appear,  made 
shocking  work  in  the  pronunciation  of  their  names ; 
and  it  is  melancholy  to  relate,  that  the  Clallam  repre- 
sentatives of  the  distinguished  personages  mentioned, 
were  generally  as  drunken  and  worthless  a  set  of 
rascals  as  could  be  collected.  Their  intercourse 
with  shipping,  and  the  introduction  of  whiskey,  had 
in  no  wise  assisted  in  improving  a  bad  character 
which  the  tribe  always  possessed. 

In  the  preceding  chapter,  we  stated  that  whilst 
Captain  McClellan  was  journeying  with  Governor 
Stevens  from  Fort  Colville  to  the  Spokane  River, 
the  party  was  met  by  Garry,  the  Spokane  Chief. 
This  Indian,  who  was  at  that  time  about  forty-two 
years  of  age,  had  his  name  bestowed  upon  him 
by  Sir  George  Simpson,  by  whom  he  had  been 
sent  for  education,  when  about  twelve  years  old,  to 
the  Red  River  of  the  North,  where  he  spent  five 
years.  He  was  very  intelligent,  spoke  English  and 
French  fluently,  bore  an  excellent  character,  and 
was  what  he  claimed  to  be,  and  what  few  were  among 
-the  Indian  tribes — a  chief. 

Garry  had  more  than  twcT  months  before  met  Lieu- 
tenant Saxton,  who  left  Fort  Vancouver  prior  to  the 


180  INTERVIEWS   WITH    THE    INDIANS. 

starting  of  Captain  McClellan's  expedition,  and  had 
passed  through  the  Spokane  Village  with  commissary 
stores,  on  his  way  to  meet  Governor  Stevens. 
Lieutenant  Saxton  had  reported  the  Spokanes  to  be 
the  most  noble  tribe  he  had  thus  far  met.  They  had 
been  told  the  object  of  his  visit  was  to  make  war 
upon  them,  but  were  delighted  to  find  he  came 
amongst  them  as  a  friend,  and  turned  out  in  great 
numbers  to  greet  him.  About  thirty  mounted  war- 
riors, in  full  costume,  formed  upon  a  high  hill  and 
sang  a  song  of  welcome,  making  the  hills  re-echo 
with  their  wild  music,  and  as  the  setting  sun  shone 
upon  them  presenting  a  scene  strikingly  grand  and 
imposing. 

Governor  Stevens  also  passed  through  the  Spokane 
Village  on  his  way  to  meet  Captain  McClellan,  and 
whilst  there  sent  for  Garry,  who  visited  him  at  his 
camp,  and  informed  him  of  the  latter' s  arrival  at 
Fort  Colville.  At  nightfall  the  Governor  observing 
a  fire  a  short  distance  off,  strolled  to  the  place  and 
came  upon  a  little  encampment  of  Spokane  Indians, 
whom  he  found  engaged  in  religious  services, 
which  he  was  glad  to  have  the  opportunity  of  wit- 
nessing. The  company  consisted  of  three  or  four 
men,  the  same  number  of  women,  and  half  a  dozen 
children.  The  order  of  worship  comprised  an  ad- 
dress, the  Lord's  prayer,  psalms,  and  the  benedic-^ 
tion,  and  the  services  were  conducted  with  great 
solemnity. 


ELEMENTS    OF   DISSENSION.  181 

The  Spokanes  had,  at  the  time  of  Captain  McClel- 
lan's  visit,  a  disputed  question  of  boundary  with  a 
neighboring  tribe  called  the  Coeur  d'Alenesv  which 
appeared  to  be  as  complicated  as  some  of  those 
between  more  civilized  nations.  No  resort  to  arms 
had,  however,  occurred,  and  the  territory  in  dispute 
continued  under  joint  occupation.  Another  element, 
which,  alas,  too  often  causes  dissension  among  the 
whiter  race,  created  an  additional  source  of  coldness 
between  these  two  tribes.  This  was  a  difference  of 
religion — the  Spokanes  being  Protestants,  or  of  the 
"American  Religion,"  as  they  termed  it,  and  the 
CcEur  d'Alenes,  Catholics.  Garry  narrated  the  evils 
arising  from  this  state  of  feeling  with  a  forbearance 
and  Christian  spirit  of  toleration  that  would  have 
done  honor  to  any  person.  The  Spokanes  had,  at 
the  time  of  the  expedition,  no  missionary  among 
them,  but  they  appeared  to  be  consistent  to  what 
they  had  learned  under  the  tuition  of  Messrs.  Walker 
and  Eel  of  the  Chemakane  Mission. 

Garry  accompanied  Governor  Stevens  and  Cap- 
tain McClellan  to  the  Spokane  House.  A  visit  was 
also  paid  to  the  chief's  family,  who  were  found 
to  reside  in  a  comfortable  lodge.  He  informed 
his  guests  that  he  always  had  on  hand  flour, 
sugar,  and  coffee  with  which  to  make  his  friends 
comfortable,  and  offered  the  hospitality  of  his 
house  with  much  cordiality.  Gariy's  lodge,  in 
neatness  and  comfort,  was  far  beyond  any  that  had 


182  INTEK  VIEWS    WITH    THE    INDIANS. 

been  seen.  His  family  were  dressed  in  the  costume 
of  the  whites,  which,  in  fact,  prevailed  over  their 
own.  Many  of  the  Sppkanes,  besides  their  inter- 
course with  the  Fort,  visited  the  American  settle- 
ments, where  they  earned  money  by  occasional 
work,  most  of  which  they  spent  in  clothing,  blankets, 
and  similar  articles.  The  chief  had  an  extensive 
field  wherein  he  raised  a  large  quantity  of  wheat, 
which  he  took  to  Colville  to  be  ground. 

On  one  occasion  during  the  survey  McClellan  was 
informed  by  his  Indian  guide,  that  a  certain  chief 
had  declared  his  intention  to  kill  him.  Shortly 
afterwards  meeting  his  proposed  assassin,  the  Cap- 
tain determined  to  prove  to  him  that  he  was  not 
very  easily  to  be  extirpated.  Springing  upon  the 
chief  at  his  approach,  he  got  his  arm  round  the 
blood-thirsty  red-skin's  neck  and  gave  him  such  a 
vigorous  hug  that  it  made  him  yell  lustily  for  mercy. 

"So  you  intend  to  kill  me, "do  you?"  exclaimed 
McClellan.  "  Now  I'll  prevent  that  by  killing  you." 

The  frightened  savage  implored  his  adversary  to 
spare  him,  and  stoutly  denied  that  he  had  any  inten- 
tion of  acting  in  a  hostile  manner  towards  him. 
And  the  more  the  Indian  begged  for  his  life  the 
tighter  grew  the  Captain's  grasp.  At  length,  after 
nearly  strangling  his  enemy,  McClellan  relaxed  his 
hold,  having  practically  taught  him  that  he  was  too 
dangerous  an  antagonist  to  encounter. 

On  Captain  McClellan's  journey  from  the  Spokane 


, 


CAPTAIN    M  CLEI.LAN  S      AFFAIR    WITH   THE      INDIAN. 


i.  182. 


PU-PU-MUX-MUX.  183 

country  to  Fort  Vancouver,  he  passed  through  the 
district  peopled  by  the  Wallah-Wallahs,  which  lay 
around  the  Fort  of  that  name.  This  tribe  ownei 
large  bands  of  horses,  and  its  members  had  been 
notorious  as  thieves  ever  since  their  first  intercourse 
with  the  whites.  Their  fisheries  at  the  Dalles  and 
at  the  falls,  ten  miles  above,  were'  the  finest  on  the 
Columbia  river.  The  head  chief  was  Pu-pu-mux- 
mux,  or  the  Yellow  Serpent,  an  old  man  whose 
influence,  however,  did  not  extend  beyond  his 
immediate  band.  Governor  Stevens  speaks  of  him 
as  being  respected  far  and  wide.  He  found  him 
dignified  in  manner  and  well  qualified  to  fulfil  the 
duties  of  his  position.  The  chief  had  the  air  of 
a  substantial  farmer.  He  owned  lands  near  the 
Fort,  possessed  two  thousand  horses,  and  had 
accumulated  a  large  amount  of  money — probably 
five  thousand  dollars.  He  was  also  of  a  generous 
disposition,  and  frequently  gave  an  ox  and  articles 
of  value  to  his  neighbors.  It  was  reported  of  him 
that  upon  learning  some  of  his  people  refused  to 
fulfil  a  contract  entered  into  with  a  party  of  emi- 
grants to  ferry  them  across  the  river,  he  compelled 
them  to  carry  it  out  faithfully,  and  mounting  his 
horse,  thrashed  them  until  they  complied. 

Pu-pu-mux-mux  was  invited  to  join  the  Cayuses 
on  the  occasion  of  their  war,  but  steadily  refused. 
Upon  the  murder,  by  these  people,  of  Mr.  Whitman, 
and  the  destruction  of  the  mission,  he  was  asked 


184  INTERVIEWS   WITH   THE    INDIANS. 

but  declined  to  share  the  spoils.  He  was  then 
taunted  with  being  afraid  of  the  whites,  to  which  he 
replied :  "  I  am  not  afraid  of  the  whites,  nor  am  1 
afraid  of  the  Cayuses.  I  defy  your  whole  band.  1 
will  plant  my  three  lodges  on  the  border  of  my 
own  territory,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Touchet,  and 
there  I  will  meet  you  if  you  dare  to  attack  me."  He 
accordingly  moved  his  lodges  to  this  point  and  re- 
mained there  three  or  four  weeks  undisturbed. 

Before  Captain  McClellan  reached  Wallah- Wal- 
lah he  had  an  interesting  relic  exhibited  to  him  by 
one  of  the  Indians  through  whose  country  he  passed. 
Whilst  at  the  point  where  the  Peluse  falls  into  the 
Snake  river,  Wattai-wattai-how-lis,  the  chief  of  a 
band,  showed  him  with  great  pride,  a  medal  pre- 
sented to  his  ancestor,  Ke-powh-kan,  by  Captains 
Lewis  and  Clark,  who  crossed  the  continent  at  the 
beginning  of  the  present  century.  It  was  of  silver, 
double  and  hollow,  and  had  on  the  obverse  a  medal- 
lion bust  with  the  inscription,  "Thomas  Jefferson, 
President  U.  S.  A.,  1801,"  and  on  the  reverse 
the  clasped  hands,  pipe,  and  battle-axe,  crossed,  with 
the  legend,  "  Peace  and  Friendship." 


CHAPTER  XL 

IN   THE   WEST   INDIES. 

Victories  of  peace — Scientific  operations  of  Army  officers — 
— Secret  expedition  to  the  "West  Indies — Its  object — Selection 
of  a  harbor — Description  of  the  place  chosen — Corroborative 
opinion — Historic  associations — Visit  of  Columbus — First  en- 
counter with  the  Indians  in  America — Jack  Banister  and  his 
bold  buccaneers — Inquiry  into  the  American  railway  system — 
McClellan's  report  thereon. 

~\  /T'lLTOiN"  wrote  in  one  of  his  sonnets,  "  Peace 
hath  her  victories  no  less  renowned  than 
war."  How  applicable  is  this  thought  to  the  opera- 
tions of  the  officers  of  the  regular  army !  At  the 
present  time,  when  civilians  can  see  no  merit  in  a 
soldier  unless  he  wins  a  great  battle,  or  directs  a 
dashing  charge,  no  consideration  is  given  to  the 
achievements  of  military  men  in  past  years  in  the 
great  and  fertile  fields  of  science.  Yet  if  we  calmly 
review  the  performances  of  the  officers  of  our  army 
for  half  a  century  back,  we  shall  find,  in  addition 
to  the  laurels  they  gathered  on  the  battle  ground 
of  Mexico,  they  plucked  as  fadeless  leaves  in 
regions  where  they  had  to  contend  with  privations 
as  great  as  any  which  befall  the  defenders  of  a 
beleaguered  city,  and  to  encounter  perils  as  critical 


186  IN   THE    WEST   INDIES. 

and  hardships   as   severe  as  are  ever  met  with  in 
time  of  war. 

Though  the  wreath  which  crowned  a  Colum- 
bus or  a  De  Soto  is  not  considered  in  the  eyes  of 
the  world  to.be  as  sparkling  as  the  diadem  that 
decked  the  brow  of  an  Alexander  or  a  Cortez,  still 
we  doubt  not  but  mankind  has  derived  greater  bene- 
fits from  the  discoverer,  than  from  the  conqueror. 

How  little  would  be  known  of  the  great  region 
west  of  the  Mississippi,  if  our  engineer  officers  had 
not  mapped  its  rivers  and  traced  its  plains ;  and 
how  much  less  advantageous  to  us  would  have  been 
our  acquisition  of  California  if  these  same  soldiers 
had  not  tracked  the  mountain  passes,  and  opened 
paths  across  hitherto  unexplored  territory  ?  Let 
us,  therefore,  give  to  those  who,  in  time  of  war, 
are  our  brave  defenders,  equal  honor  for  their  not 
less  important  services  in  time  of  peace. 

In  previous  chapters,  we  have  accompanied  some 
of  our  army  officers  in  their  journeyings  beyond  the 
edge  of  civilization,  and  we  are  consequently  able  to 
discern  the  advantages  the  nation  has  derived  from 
their  researches  into  previously  unstudied  portions  of 
the  book  of  nature.  The  results  of  these  researches 
are  published  to  the  world  in  portly  volumes,  but 
how  few  of  our  people  are  acquainted  with  their 
value.  Written  by  intelligent  men,  who  speak  of 
what  they  saw  in  unassuming  language,  and  filled 
with  graphic  descriptions  of  the  districts  travelled 


OBJECT    OF   THE     EXPEDITION.  187 

over,  their  varied  scenery,  their  remarkable  produc- 
tions, their  animated  nature,  and  the  semi-civilized 
tribes  who  people  them,  these  books  possess  a  charm 
to  the,  general  reader,  which  many  are  unconscious 
of,  and  few  appreciate. 

Captain  McClellan  returned  from  Washington 
Territory  to  the  Atlantic  States  in  the  spring  of 
1854,  and  in  June  of  the  same  year  was  intrusted 
by  the  Government  of  the  United  States  with  a  duty 
of  great  importance,  demanding  much  discretion,  and 
a  considerable  knowledge  of  naval  and  military  re- 
quirements. It  was  a  secret  expedition  to  the  West 
Indies,  having  for  its  object  the  selection  of  a  conve- 
nient harbor  and  a  suitable  coaling  station  for  the 
United  States  vessels  cruising  in  the  neighborhood 
of  those  islands,  and  passing  into  the  Mexican  gulf. 

He  proceeded  in  the  United  States  frigate  Colum- 
bia, first  to  San  Domingo,  and  then  to  other  islands 
in  the  vicinity,  returning  in  September  with  a  vast 
amount  of  information  of  considerable  importance 
at  the  time  to  the  administration,  and  with  a  large 
number  of  maps  and  sketches  of  the  places  visited. 

Captain  McClellan  selected,  as  the  most  desirable 
for  the  proposed  station  and  harbor,  the  bay  and 
peninsula  of  Samana,  a  port  of  the  then  Dominican 
Republic,  situated  on  the  northeast  coast  of  the 
island  of  Hayti.  He  embodied  the  results  of  his 
inquiries  into  two  reports,  one  on  the  harbor  and  its 
defences,  and  the  other  descriptive  of  the  island ; 


188  1ST   THE    WEST    INDIES. 

but  as  might  be  expected  from  the  secret  nature  of 
the  expedition,  these  reports  have  never  been  given 
to  the  world. 

An  endeavor  was  made  by  the  Government  to 
obtain  the  cession  of  the  bay  and  peninsula,  and 
negotiations  were  opened,  but  without  terminating 
in  the  desired  acquisition.  How  far  the  Government 
of  San  Domingo,  in  their  refusal  to  cede  the  district 
to  the  United  States,  may  have  been  influenced  by 
European  powers,  it  is  impossible  to  say. 

The  peninsula  of  Samana  is  thirty-two  miles  lon<r, 
and  eleven  miles  across  at  its  greatest  breadth,  and 
comprises  an  area  of  about  two  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  square  miles.  It  was  formerly  separated  from 
the  main  land  by  a  water  communication  at  its 
western  "end,  which  is  now  silted  up  but  could  easily 
be  reopened — so  that  what  is  at  present  a  peninsula 
was  formerly  an  island.  The  highest  peak  of  the 
peninsula,  Sugar-Loaf  Hill,  is  1,936  feet  high,  and  La 
Montana  del  Diable,  another  eminence,  is  1,300  feet 
above  the  sea  level.  The  soil  is  extremely  fertile, 
and  the  surface  to  a  great  extent  covered  with 
timber  suitable  for  shipbuilding  and  cabinet-work ; 
whilst  iron,  copper,  gold  in  small  quantities,  and 
bituminous  coal  are  its  mineral  productions.  In  ]  851 
the  population  was  1,721.  The  bay  lies  to  the  south 
of  the  peninsula.  It  is  about  thirty-three  miles  long, 
by  eight  broad,  and  at  the  west  end  receives  the 
Yuna,  the  largest  river  in  the  country.  The 


CORROBORATIVE    OPINION.  189 

harbor  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  world,  and  its 
position,  both  in  a  military  and  maritime  point  of 
view,  is  of  considerable  importance. 

It  is  much  to  the  credit  of  Captain  McClellan  that 
he  should  have  selected  so  desirable  a  spot  for  the 
objects  the  Government  had  in  view.  A  paper 
on  the  Peninsula  and  Bay  of  Samana,  by  Sir  R.  H. 
Schomburgk,  the  British  Consul  at  San  Domingo, 
communicated  by  the  Foreign  Office  to  the  Royal 
Geographical  Society  of  London,  and  published  in  its 
Journal  for  1853,  exemplifies  incidentally  how  suc- 
cessfully McClellan  accomplished  his  mission.  Sir  R. 
H.  Schomburgk,  in  concluding  his  remarks,  says  : 

"  I  have  purposely  dwelt  long  and  in  detail  upon 
tliis  narrow  strip  of  land,  called  the  Peninsula  of 
Samana,  and  upon  its  adjacent  magnificent  bay.  In 
its  geographical  position  its  greatest  importance  is 
centred.  The  fertile  soil  is  fit  for  the  cultivation  of 
all  tropical  productions  ;  its  spacious  bays  and  anchor- 
ing places  offer  a  shelter  to  the  navies  of  the  world ; 
and  its  creeks  afford  facilities  for  the  erection  of 
arsenals  and  docks,  while  the  adjacent  forests  yield 
the  requisite  woods  for  naval  architecture ;  still,  its 
chief  importance  does  not  consist  in  those  advantages 
alone,  but  in  its  geographical  position,  forming,  as 
it  does,  one  of  the  principal  keys  to  the  isthmus  of 
Central  America,  and  to  the  adjacent  Gulf  of 
Mexico.  .  M.  Lepelletier  de  Saint  Remy  says :  '  Sa- 
mana is  one  of  those  maritime  positions  not  often 


190  IN  THE   WEST   INDIES.        -    . 

met  with  in  a  survey  of  the  world.  Samana  is  to  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico  what  Mayotte  is  to  the  Indian  Ocean. 
It  is  not  only  the  military,  but  also  the  commercial 
key  of  the  Gulf;  but  the  latter  is  of  infinitely  greater 
importance  under  the  pacific  tendencies  of  European 
politics.' 

"The  bay  of  Samana  being  placed  to  the  wind- 
ward of  Jamaica,  Cuba,  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and 
lying,  moreover,  almost  due  1ST.  E.  of  the  great 
isthmus  which  now  so  powerfully  attracts  the  atten- 
tion of  the  world,  the  French  author,  just  quoted, 
may  well  call  it  ''la  tete  du  ponC  to  the  highway 
from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific." 

Samana  is  a  place  of  considerable  historic  interest. 
We  glean  from  the  paper  mentioned  a  couple  of 
the  most  important  incidents  of  which  it  was  the 
scene. 

Columbus,  returning  to  Spain  after  his  first  dis- 
covery of  the  ISTew  World,  passed,  on  the  12th  of 
January,  1493,  a  high  and  beautiful  headland,  to 
which  he  gave  the  name  of  Cabo  del  Enamoraclo,  or 
the  Lover's  Cape  (at  present  called  Cape  Cabron). 
Further  eastward  he  saw  another,  which  he  named 
Cabo  San  Feramo,  (at  present  known  as  Cape  Sama- 
na), the  most  eastern  point  of  the  so-called  Peninsula 
of  the  same  name.  Doubling  this  headland,  he  saw 
a  fine  gulf  of  such  an  extent  before  him,  that  he  sup- 
posed it  to  be  an  arm  of  the  sea,  separating  Hispaniola 
from  some  other  land. 


VISIT   OF   COLUMBUS.  191 

Here  he  anchored,  and  having  sent  his  boats 
ashore,  they  were  received  by  the  natives,  who,  from 
their  ferocious  looks  and  undaunted  manners,  ap- 
peared quite  different  from  the  mild  and  pacific 
people  the  Spaniards  had  hitherto  met.  They  were 
of  a  ferocious  aspect,  and  had  painted  themselves 
hideously  in  various  colors.  Some  were  armed 
with  war-clubs,  others  had  bows  of  more  than  a 
man's  length ;  their  arrows  were  pointed  with  hard 
wood  or  with  bones.  One  of  their  number  having 
ventured  on  board,  Columbus  was  induced  to  sup- 
pose him  to  be  of  the  Carib  tribe,  and  resolved  to 
act  with  caution,  and,  having  regaled  his  visitor,  he 
sent  him  on  shore ;  but,  as  the  boat  approached  the 
land,  upwards  of  fifty  armed  savages  rushed  from  an 
ambush.  They  were  appeased  by  the  warrior  in  the 
boat ;  and,  having  landed,  the  boat's  crew  mixed 
with  the  natives  and  endeavored  to  bargain  for  some 
of  their  weapons,  when,  in  an  unexplained  manner, 
mistrust  arose  ;  the  natives  seized  their  bows  and 
clubs,  and  provided  themselves  with  cords,  as  if  they 
intended  to  capture  their  visitors.  The  Spaniards 
immediately  attacked  them,  wounded  two,  and  put 
the  rest  to  flight.  "  This  was  the  first  contest  with 
the  Indians,  and  the  first  time  that  native  blood  was 
shed  by  white  men  in  the  New  World,"  says  the 
historian  of  the  Life  and  Voyages  of  Columbus. 
Alas !  how  many  streams  might  have  been  filled,  ere 
the  century  closed,  with  the  blood  of  the  unfortunate 


192  *      IN    THE    WEST   INDIES. 

natives  that  fell  victims  to  Spanish  cruelty !  Colum- 
bus was  greatly  grieved  when  he  learned  the  acci- 
dent ;  his  endeavors  succeeded  in  re-establishing  a 
good  understanding ;  and  the  Cacique,  who  governed 
over  this  people,  called  Ciguayens  by  Columbus, 
came  afterwards  on  board  the  Admiral's  ship,  where 
his  frank  and  bold  manner  won  him  many  admirers. 
His  name  was  Cayacoa  (and  not  Mayobonex,  as  sup- 
posed by  Washington  Irving).  After  his  death,  his 
widow  became  a  Christian,  and  was  baptized  under 
the  name  of  Donna  Ines  Cayacoa.  The  Indians  called 
the  land  Samana ;  and  Columbus  gave  to  the  bay  the 
name  of  "  De  las  Flechas,"  in  consequence  of  the 
skirmish  with  the  natives.  He  sailed  before  daylight 
on  the  16th  of  January,  and  landed  on  the  coast  of 
Portugal  on  the  4th  of  March,  1493. 

Nature  has  done  much  for  the  defence  of  the 
entrance  to  the  bay  of  Samana,  reefs,  islets,  and 
rocks  being  so  situated  that  if  properly  fortified  any 
hostile  vessel  attempting  to  enter  would  be  placed 
under  a  destructive  cross  fire. 

The  favorable  situation  of  some  of  these  islets 
or  cays  for  preventing  the  approach  of  an  enemy, 
was  signally  proved  at  the  close  of  the  seventeenth 
century  by  Jack  Banister,  a  celebrated  English 
pirate,  who  with  his  bold  buccaneers  then  infested 
the  neighborhood.  He  had  arrived  with  a  consort 
vessel,  commanded  by  a  Frenchman  named  Lagarde, 
at  Samana,  and  the  commanders  of  two  English 


AN   ENCOUNTER   WITH    PIRATES.  193 

frigates,  having  learned  that  Banister  was  anchored 
at  Samana,  prepared  to  enter  the  bay.  The  pirate 
immediately  had  the  guns  of  his  vessel  .put  ashore 
on  one  of  the  cays,  and  defended  the  entrance  with 
the  crews,  consisting  of  two  hundred  men,  in  such 
an  effective  manner,  that  he  killed  more  than  one 
hundred  and  twenty  of  the  assailants,  and  forced 
the  frigates  to  retire.  Banister's  own  ship  was, 
however,  disabled  during  the  engagement;  and  the 
smaller  French  vessel  only  remaining  for  embarka- 
tion, all  rushed  towards  it,  and  a  vast  number  were 
drowned,  or  perished  in  endeavoring  to  get  on 
board.  In  consequence  of  this  defence,  the  name 
of  Banister  Cays  has  been  given  to  the  islets. 

The  month  after  his  return  from  the  West 
Indies,  Captain  McClellan  was  instructed  to  ex- 
amine tlie  construction  and  working  of  various 
railroads  in  the  United  States,  for  the  purpose  of 
reporting  upon  practicable  points  connected  there- 
with, so  that  the  best  methods  and  systems  might 
be  adopted  in  the  proposed  railroad  to  the  Pacific. 

This  investigation  brought  him  into  contact  with 
some  of  the  most  celebrated  civil  engineers,  and 
railway  directors,  constructors,  and  managers  in 
the  country ;  and  the  thorough  manner  in  which  he 
performed  the  functions  of  his  office,  no  doubt,  after- 
wards led  to  his  appointment  to  fill  important  posi- 
tions upon  two  of  the  principal  railroads  of  the 

North. 
9 


194  IN   THE    WEST   INDIES. 

His  report,  addressed  to  the  Secretary  of  War, 
and  entitled  "  Memoranda  on  Railways,"  was  com- 
pleted at  Washington,  November  21st,  1854,  and 
appears  at  the  head  of  the  published  reports  of  the 
various  exploring  expeditions.  It  is  a  very  compre- 
hensive and  complete  treatise  of  the  subject  under 
inquiry,  and  drew  from  the  Secretary  of  War,  at  the 
close  of  his  report  on  the  Pacific  railroad,  the  follow- 
ing remarks  : 

"  Captain  McClellan,  of  the  corps  of  engineers, 
after  the  completion  of  his  field  operations,  was 
directed  to  visit  various  railroads,  and  to  collect  in- 
formation of  facts  established  in  the  construction 
and  working  of  existing  roads,  to  serve  as  data  in 
determining  the  practicability  of  constructing  and 
working  roads  over  the  several  routes  explored. 
The  results  of  his  inquiries  will  be  found  in  a  very 
valuable  memoir  herewith  submitted." 


CHAPTER  XII. 

ON   DUTY   IN   ETJKOPE. 

The  Crimean  campaign — Inprovements  in  the  art  of  war — Mili- 
tary Commission — Instructions — McClellan's  correspondence — 
Start  from  Boston — Cordial  reception  in  London  and  cool  treat- 
ment in  Paris — Disappointment — Arrival  in  Berlin — Prussian 
politeness — "Warsaw — Obstacles  in  the  way — St.  Petersburg 
— Presented  to  the  Czar — Military  review — Second  disappoint- 
ment— Return  to  Prussia — Proceed  to  the  East — Constanti- 
nople— Balaklava — More  English  courtesy  and  French  coolness 
— The  theatre  of  war — Reception  in  Austria — Italian  cities — 
South  of  France — Tour  of  the  Rhine — Belgium — In  France 
again — Return  to  London — Visits  of  inspection — Home. 

AT  the  commencement  of  the  year  1855  the 
attention  of  the  civilized  world  was  concen- 
trated upon  the  military  operations  then  in  progress 
in  the  Crimea.  The  great  nations  of  Western 
Europe  had  viewed  with  alarm  the  Russian  emper- 
or's attempted  encroachment  on  the  territories  of 
the  Turk,  and  had  resolved  by  a  combined  effort 
to  prevent  it.  With  this  intent,  in  the  spring  of  the 
previous  year,  England  and  France  had  dispatched 
their  forces  and  their  fleets  to  the  Black  Sea  and 
the  Baltic,  with  the  determination  to  curb  the 
aggressive  policy  of  the  Czar. 

In  the  Baltic,   the   war   powers    of   these    two 


196  ON   DUTY    IN   EUBOPE. 

countries  was  of  little  avail.  The  great  prize  they 
here  hoped  to  win — the  Russian  capital  of  St. 
Petersburg — was  strongly  guarded  by  the  impreg- 
nable fortress  of  Cronstadt,  bidding  defiance  to  the 
wooden  walls  of  old  England  and  the  newly  created 
navy  of  France.  The  capture  of  a  few  ports  on  the 
borders  of  this  sea  comprised  the  only  successes 
the  allies  were  enabled  to  achieve  in  that  direction. 

In  the  Black  Sea,  however,  it  was  far  different. 
There  a  formidable  armada  sailed  for  the  Crimean 
coast,  on  which  the  army  landed  undisturbed.  Im- 
mediately after  this  was  accomplished,  a  combined 
movement  of  the  military  and  naval  forces  was 
directed  towards  the  stronghold  of  Sebastopol.  The 
allied  armies,  however,  had  their  progress  disputed 
on  the  banks  of  the  Alma,  but  the  Russians  were 
unable  successfully  to  combat  their  advance,  and  fled 
for  refuge  within  their  fortifications.  This  engage- 
ment took  place  on  September  20th,  1854.  The 
allies  immediately  proceeded  to  the  investment  of 
Sebastopol,  and  commenced  preparations  for  its  sub- 
jugation by  siege. 

Shorty  years  had  passed  since  war  had  occurred 
between  any  of  the  great  nations  of  the  world. 
But  while,  during  that  time,  the  angry  passions  had 
been  at  rest,  science  had  been  active,  and  had  sped 
on  with  giant  strides.  It  was,  therefore,  natural 
to  anticipate  that  the  war  then  waging  would 
develop  many  important  improvements  in  the  iin- 


THE    MILITARY    COMMISSION.  197 

pleinents  of  destruction  and  the  appliances  of  attack 
and  defence.  And  further,  it  was  natural  that  the 
nations  at  peace  would .  desire  to  avail  themselves  of 
every  improvement  made,  so  that  they  might  be  the 
better  able  to  successfully  combat  any  adversary 
when  their  time  of  strife  should  arrive. 

It  was  not,  then,  to  be  wondered  that  the  Govern- 
ment of  the  United  States  should  seek  to  embrace 
the  opportunity  afforded  by  the  European  conflict  for 
learning  the  exact  state  of  military  science  abroad, 
and  the  improvements  in  the  art  of  war,  which  it 
was  contemplated  the  contest  would  exhibit  to  the 
world.  With  these  \iews,  a  Military  Commission 
was  dispatched  to  the  Crimea  for  the  purpose,  not 
only  of  witnessing  the  operations  at  the  theatre 
of  war,  but  to  examine  the  military  systems  of 
the  great  powers,  and  inspect  such  military  es- 
tablishments as  its  members  might  be  permitted  to 
visit ;  with  instructions  to  report  on  the  result  of 
their  researches  and  observations,  and  offer  such 
suggestions  for  the  improvement  of  the  discipline 
and  organization  of  our  own  army  as  experience 
would  dictate. 

The  officers  appointed  to  this  Commission  were 
Major  R.  Delafield,  Major  A.  Mordecai,  and  Captain 
G.  B.  McClellan.  The  latter  was  considerably  the 
junior  of  his  colleagues,  the  first  having  graduated 
at  West  Point  twenty-eight,  and  the  second  twenty- 
three  years  before  him.  McClellan  was  nominated 


N 

198  ON   DUTY   IN   EUROPE. 

for  his  new  avocation  by  President  Pierce,  who  had 
had  an  opportunity  of  witnessing  his  superior  mili- 
tary conduct  in  the  Mexican  war.  He  was  the 
only  member  of  the  new  commission  who  had 
been  in  active  service,  but  the  advantage  he 
possessed  from  that  experience  would  not  have  been 
sufficient  to  warrant  the  appointment  of  so  young 
a  soldier  to  so  high  a  trust,  had  he  not  continued 
to  increase  his  reputation  by  the  energy  and  judg- 
ment displayed  in  the  execution  of  the  various  duties 
with  which  he  had  afterward  been  entrusted. 

Captain  McClellan  was  appointed  to  represent 
the  cavalry  arm  of  the  service.  He  had  been 
assigned  to  a  company  in  the  first  regiment 
of  United  States  cavalry,  during  the  previous 
month. 

On  April  2d,  1845,  the  Commissioners  received 
from  the  Secretary  of  War  their  letter  of  instruc- 
tions, containing  a  list  of  the  subjects  of  inquiry  to 
which  they  were  desired  to  direct  their  attention. 
It  is  unnecessary  to  particularize  them  here.  Suf- 
fice it  to  say  that  they  embraced  the  thorough 
organization  and  equipment  of  an  army  in  times 
both  of  peace  and  war.  The  Commissioners  were 
directed  to  visit  the  camp  of  the  allies  in  the 
Crimea,  and,  if  possible,  enter  the  Russian  lines  at 
Sebastopol,  proceeding  thence  to  St.  Petersburg; 
or,  if  necessary,  approach  that  stronghold  from  the 
Russian  side  and  then  enter  the  allied  camp. 


PREPARATIONS  FOR  THE  JOURNEY.      199 

The  American  ministers  in  London  and  Paris,  were 
made  acquainted  with  the  Commissioners'  proposed 
visit ;  and  the  diplomatic  representatives  in  Washing- 
ton, of  England,  France,  Russia,  Austria,  and  Prus- 
sia, were  applied  to  for  such  letters  of  introduction 
as  they  might  find  it  agreeable  to  give.  Cordial 
responses  were  immediately  made,  and  letters  of 
introduction  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Commis- 
sioners, by  all  except  the  French  minister,  who  first 
desired  to  know  if  the  "scat  of  war"  proposed  to  be 
visited,  meant  "  the  camp  of  the  allies  in  the  Crimea, 
and  no  other  place  whatever."  To  this  the  Secretary 
of  War  replied  that  the  phrase  "  seat  of  war"  was 
intended  to  include  the  whole  field  of  active  opera- 
tions in  the  Crimea,  as  well  as  the  fortress  of  Cron- 
stadt  in  the  Baltic ;  and  stated  that  the  character  of 
the  officers  selected  for  the  duty,  gave  him  full 
assurance  that  they  would  neither  forget  the  obliga- 
tions of  strict  neutrality,  depart  from  the  path  of 
nicest  honor,  nor  fail  in  military  proprieties,  so  well 
understood  by  educated  soldiers.  The  French. 
Ambassador,  in  his  answer,  referred  the  Commis- 
sioners to  the  Minister  of  War  in  France,  and  gave 
them  a  letter  of  introduction  to  the  Minister  of 
Foreign  Affairs. 

This  conduct  of  the  representative  of  the  Emperor 
Napoleon,  was  in  striking  contrast  to  that  exhibited 
by  the  envoys  of  the  other  foreign  powers, — two  of 
which,  England  and  Russia,  it  must  be  remembered, 


200  ON   DUTY   IN   EUKOPE. 

were  belligerents  equally  with  France.  None  of 
these  had  asked  for  explanations  at  the  hands  of  our 
Government,  nor  had  they  desired  to  impose  upon 
the  Commissioners  terms  that  their  sense  of  hbnor 
would  have  compelled  them  to  decline. 

The  incidents  of  the  journey  were  narrated  by  Major 
Delafield,  the  senior  member  of  the  Commission — 
who  was  advanced  to  the  rank  of  Colonel  previous 
to  the  publication  of  his  report — and  we  avail  our- 
selves of  his  record  in  the  compilation  of  this  chapter. 

Captain  McClellan,  during  his  visit  to  Europe, 
wrote  a  series  of  important  letters  to  a  friend  in  this 
country.  The  recipient  finding  it  necessary,  in  the 
course  of  removal,  to  reduce  an  accumulation  of 
correspondence,  selected  these  letters  for  preserva- 
tion, but  by  one  of  those  unaccountable  misfortunes 
which  too  often  occur,  committed  the  bundle  con- 
taining them  to  the  flames  in  mistake  for  another. 
This  is  very  much  to  be  regretted,  as  the  author 
understands  the  communications  were  remarkably 
interesting,  containing  as  they  did  the  Captain's 
impressions  of  his  experiences  in  the  Old  World, 
and  being  full  of  that  vividness  of  description,  only 
attainable  when  the  subjects  discussed^are  fresh  in 
the  writer's  memory,  and  the  scenes  described  con- 
tinue impressed  upon  his  vision. 

The  Commissioners  sailed  from  Boston  by  the 
steamer  of  the  llth  of  April,  and  on  the  27th  were 
introduced  by  Mr.  Buchanan  in  London  to  the  Brit- 


ENGLISH    COURTESY    AND   FRENCH    COOLNESS.      201 

ish  Foreign  Secretary,  Lord  Clarendon,  who  gave 
them  a  cordial  reception,  and  promised  personally  to 
obtain  from  the  Secretary  of  War,  Lord  Panmure, 
at  the  time  confined  to  his  bed  by  sickness,  the 
necessary  letters  of  authorization  to  naval  and  mili- 
tary commanders  at  the  seat  of  war.  Colonel  Dela- 
field  remarks  :  "In  the  course  of  this  interview,  Lord 
Clarendon  stated  that  as  to  going  from  their  camp 
to  that  of  the  enemy,  he  could  see  no  objections  in 
our  case  ;  that  the  character  and  honor  of  the  officers 
of  the  American  army  was  of  itself  sufficient  to 
justify  Lord  Raglan  in  acquiescing  thereto."  Two 
days  afterwards,  Lord  Clarendon  forwarded  to  the 
Commissioners  letters  of  introduction  to  Lord  Rag- 
lan, the  commander  of  the  forces,  and  Sir  Edmund 
Lyons,  the  admiral  of  the  fleet,  and  begged  that  they 
would  freely  command  his  own  services  if  he  could 
in  any  way  assist  the  mission.  In  addition,  he  for- 
warded introductory  letters  to  Sir  Charles  Napier, 
the  admiral  of  the  Baltic  fleet. 

In  Paris  a  far  different  reception  awaited  Mc- 
Clellan  and  his  companions.  They  soon  discovered 
that  the  wary  conduct  of  the  French  minister  in 
Washington  too  plainly  foreshadowed  a  like  treatment 
in  France.  Changes  in  the  ministry  at  first  caused 
some  ^delay  in  obtaining  an  interview  with  the 
Minister  of  Foreign  Aifairs.  However,  through  the 
influence  of  Judge  Mason,  our  representative  in 
Paris,  one  eventually  was  had  with  Count  Wal- 
9* 


202  ON   DUTY    IN    EUROPE* 

ewski,  the  new  minister,  who  offered  letters  to 
the  commanding  general  in  the  Crimea,  but  at  the 
same  time  stated  that  there  Avas  an  imperative  rule 
in  the  French  military  service  which  forbade  any 
foreign  officer  passing  into  the  camp  of  the  enemy 
after  he  had  been  permitted  to  enter  their  lines,  and 
that  consequently  it  would  be  necessary  for  the 
members  of  the  Commission  to  give  a  promise  thnt 
they  would  not  go  from  the  French  camp  to  any 
other  part  of  the  Crimea.  The  Commissioners  in- 
formed him  that  they  did  not  propose  entering  Se- 
bastopol  from  the  allied  camp,  but  inte»ded,  after 
visiting  the  latter,  to  proceed  into  Russia.  However, 
after  some  months  interval,  and  subsequent  to  in- 
specting the  places  on  the  Baltic,  they  might  wish  to 
visit  Sebastopol,  as  it  was  quite  as  interesting  to  them 
to  view  the  defence  as  to  witness  the  mode  of  attack. 
To  this,  reply  was  made  that  the  imperative  rule 
established  by  the  French  Government  precluded  the 
visit  to  any  Russian  post  or  army  in  the  Crimea 
at  any  time  after  witnessing  the  operations  of  the 
allied  armies  in  that  quarter,  but  that  it  was  no 
concern  of  the  French  Government  if  the  Commis- 
sioners chose  to  go  to  the  Russian  side  first. 

Under  these  circumstances,  the  latter  determined 
not  to  accept  the  favor  of  entering  the  French  camp 
with  the  conditions  proposed  as  the  price  of  their 
letters  of  introduction,  and  confined  their  request  for 
authority  to  visit  the  military  establishments  of 


IX   PEUSSIA.  203 

France.  In  consequence  of  this  decision,  the  Com- 
missioners considered  it  advisable  to  change  their 
route,  and  enter  the  Crimea  through  Russia. 

On  the  28th  of  May,  they  left  Paris  for  Prussia,  with 
the  desire  of  conferring  with  the  Russian  minister  at 
Berlin,  for  whom  they  held  a  letter  from  his  col- 
league in  Washington.  They  there  found  the  Prus- 
sian Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs  had  anticipated 
their  wishes  to  view  the  Prussian  military  establish- 
ments, and  had  written  to  the  Minister  of  War  for  the 
necessary  authorization  to  visit  such  as  lay  on  their  re- 
turn route,  as  he  had  been  given  to  understand  they 
purposed  going  at  once  to  the  Crimea  by  way  of  War- 
saw, and  thence  to  St.  Petersburg.  He,  also,  stated 
to  them  that  On  their  return  they  should  receive 
authority  to  visit  any  other  of  the  military  estab- 
lishments of  Prussia  they  might  desire  to  inspect. 

The  Russian  minister  in  Berlin  had  likewise  anti- 
cipated their  desires,  and  had  received  orders  from 
St.  Petersburg  in  relation  thereto.  He  offered  to 
endorse  their  passports,  and  give  them  letters  which 
would  facilitate  the  objects  of  their  mission.  After 
the  first  interview  he  called  upon  them  in  person  to 
deliver  the  former,  and  a  sealed  package  for  the  Di- 
rector of  the  Chancellory  in  Warsaw. 

The  4th  of  June  found  Captain  McClellan  and  his 
colleagues  in  the  capital  of  ill-fated  Poland.  At  War- 
saw, the  Director  informed  them  that  it  was  not  in 
his  power  either  to  give  them  authority  to  proceed 


204  ON   DUTY    IN   EUROPE. 

to  the  Crimea,  or  to  see  the  fortifications  of  the  city. 
As,  from  some  singular  omission,  he  had  not  been 
officially  informed  of  the  official  character  of  the 
mission,  its  members  handed  him  an  explanatory 
letter,  together  with  the  authority  under  which  they 
acted.  The  latter  was,  however,  courteously  returned, 
with  the  assurance  that  their  own  statement  sufficed. 
The  military  governor  of  Warsaw,  Prince  Paskie- 
vitch,  being  absent  when  the  Commissioners  arrived, 
they  were  compelled  to  awnit  his  return.  On  the 
9th,  he  gave  them  authority  to  visit  the  fortifications 
of  Warsaw  and  Modlin,  and  ordered  a  colonel  of 
engineers  to  accompany  them  and  render  any  expla- 
nations desired.  But  it  was  a  sad  disappointment  to 
find  that  the  veteran  Prince  had  no  power  to  permit 
them  to  proceed  direct  to  the  Crimea, — all  he  could 
do  was  merely  to  recommend  their  going  to  St. 
Petersburg,  where  only  the  necessary  order  could 
be  obtained. 

It  is  easy  to  conceive  what  were  the  feelings  of  the 
American  officers  when  they  discovered,  that  in 
addition  to  the  valuable  time  frittered  away  in 
France,  more  precious  moments  were  to  be  con- 
sumed before  they  could  reach  the  goal  of  their 
desires.  The  war  progressed,  and  there  was  no 
knowing  but  a  successful  assault  of  the  fortifica- 
tions of  Sebastopol  might  any  day  bring  it  to  a 
close.  To  add  to  their  chagrin,  they  further  ascer- 
tained that  the  passports  handed  to  them  with  dip- 


PRESENTED    TO    THE    EMPEROR    OF    RUSSIA.      205 

lomatic  politeness  were  of  no  more  avail  than  those 
given  to  pleasure-seeking  travellers. 

Much  important  information  was  obtained  in  the 
inspection  of  the  works  at  Warsaw,  and  there  was 
some  consolation  for  the  disappointment  experienced 
in  not  going  direct  to  Sebastopol  in  the  hope  of 
witnessing  a  bombardment  of  Cronstadt  by  the 
allied  fleet,  added  to  the  fact  that  the  instructions 
required  a  study  and  examination  of  that  celebrated 
fortress. 

Though  St.  Petersburg  was  reached  on  the  19th 
of  June,  it  was  not  until  the  25th  that  an  interview 
was  obtained  with  Count  Nesselrode,  the  Prime  Min- 
ister, when  the  Commissioners  informed  him  of  their 
desire,  first  to  visit  the  military  establishments  about 
St.  Petersburg  and  the  naval  defences  on  the 
Baltic,  and  afterwards  proceed  to  Sebastopol,  leaving 
the  Crimea  by  such  route  as  the  Russian  authorities 
might  approve.  They  also  requested  permission  to 
examine  the  works  at  Sebastopol  and  visit  the  army 
in  the  field,  as  well  as  to  inspect  the  fortifications 
of  some  Russian  towns  they  would  pass  on  the  way. 

A  repetition  of  the  annoyance  to  which  the  Com- 
missioners were  subjected  in  Paris,  it  will  be  found, 
again  awaited  them  in  St.  Petersburg. 

On  the  morning  of  the  26th,  Captain  McClellan 
and  his  friends  were  presented  to  the  Emperor,  at 
his  special  desire,  and  witnessed  a  review  of 
several  thousand  soldiers  on  the  Champs  de  Mars. 


206  ON    DUTY    IN   EUROPE. 

"The  troops,"  says  Colonel  Delafield,  "being  drawn 
up  on  three  sides  of  a  square,  the  Minister  of  War, 
Count  Dalgourouki,  conducted  us  to  the  centre,  the 
Emperor's  station,  and  there  presenting  us,  a  short 
conversation  ensued,  the  interesting  part  of  which 
was  his  assent  to  our  going  to  Cronstadt,  and  ending 
with  a  declaration  on  his  part  of  the  hope  that  the 
United  States  and  Russia  would  continue  always  in 
peace  and  friendship." 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day  the  Commission- 
ers were  waited  upon  by  an  aid-de-camp  of  the 
Minister  of  War  for  the  purpose  of  accompanying 
them  to  the  military  establishments  in  the  vicinity, 
including  Cronstadt.  Until  July  9th  was  spent  in 
minutely  inspecting  these  establishments,  and  pre- 
paring lengthy  notes  of  observations.  On  that  day 
they  intimated  to  the  authorities  that  their  labors 
being  'completed,  they  would  be  happy  to  ascertain 
what  arrangements  were  to  be  made  for  their 
departure.  Several  days,  however,  elapsed  before 
they  received  any  reply.  Whether  this  delay  was 
caused  by  the  great  events  of  the  day  engrossing 
the  attention  of  the  authorities,  or  by  a  reluctance 
to  admit  the  American  officers  to  the  field  of  action, 
it  is  impossible  to  state,  but  the  procrastination  was 
a  vexatious  annoyance  to  the  latter. 

On  the  13th  a  visit  was  received  from  Baron 
Lieven,  acting  for  the  Minister  of  War  in  his 
absence,  who  informed  the  Commissioners  that  it 


DISAPPOINTMENTS.  207 

would  be  impossible  to  permit  them  to  visit  either 
Sebastopol,  Sweaborg,  or  Revel,  as  the  commanding 
officers  of  those  places  had  intimated  that  the  visits 
of  persons  not  concerned  in  the  operations  occasion- 
ed them  a  great  deal  of  embarrassment,  and  that  the 
Emperor  felt  bound  to  pay  deference  to  the  views 
and  wishes  of  his  commanders.  The  minister  said 
they  had  no  secrets  or  information  on  military 
science  to  withhold  from  the  Commissioners,  and  that 
in  Cronstadt  had  been  seen  the  best  works  construct- 
ed for  harbor  defences.  After  so  positive  a  refusal 
there  was  now  nothing  left  to  detain  the  officers 
in  St.  Petersburg. 

Application  had  been  made  to  the  three  principal 
belligerents  for  permission  to  enter  their  camps. 
England,  who  was  first  asked,  at  once  granted 
every  facility  the  Commission  could  desire.  One 
might  have  thought  that  this  example  would  have 
been  followed  by  the  other  powers  then  at  war; 
but  France  only  assented  on  terms  which  it  would 
have  been  unbecoming  the  dignity  of  neutral  officers, 
placed  in  the  position  of  the  Americans,  to  accept ; 
and  Russia  refused  on*  any  terms  whatever.  To 
obtain  the  English  permission  only  required  three 
days  of  the  Commissioners'  time,  whilst  as  many 
months  had  been  occupied  in  fruitlessly  dancing 
attendance  upon  the  diplomats  of  France  and  Russia. 

On  the  14th  of  July,  the  Commissioners  attended 
a  drill  of  cavalry,  ordered  especially  for  their  exam- 


208  OX    DUTY    IN    EUROPE. 

ination ;  the  following  day  visited  a  camp  of  fifty 
thousand  infantry  and  artillery;  and  on  the  17th 
made  a  second  inspection  of  the  island  and  fortress 
of  Cronstadt.  On  the  19th  they  proceeded  to  Mos- 
cow, taking  letters  of  introduction  from  Baron 
Lieven  to  the  authorities  of  the  city,  and  there 
viewed  many  things  of  interest  connected  with  the 
subjects  of  their  researches. 

Hastening  back  to  St.  Petersburg,  they  finally  left 
that  city  on  August  2d,  and  on  the  8th  arrived  at 
Konigsberg,  in  Prussia.  After  inspecting  the  exten- 
sive system  of  fortifications  then  under  construction 
at  that  place,  they  proceeded  to  Berlin,  calling  on 
the  way  at  Dantzig,  where  the  ancient  and  modern 
defences  of  the  city  were  examined ;  at  Poseu, 
where  its  important  fortress  was  studied ;  and  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Oder,  where  some  sea-coast 
defences  were  found  to  be  under  construction,  and 
which,  though  closed  to  the  world,  a  telegram  from 
the  Minister  of  War  at  Berlin  specially  opened  to 
the  American  oflicers. 

On  the  23d  of  August,  a  visit  was  made  to  the 
school  of  equitation  at  Schwedt,  and  on  the  25th 
the  Commissioners  returned  to  Berlin,  and  renewed 
their  application  for  admission  to  other  Prussian 
military  establishments.  JSTo  reply  being  received 
up  to  September  4th,  they  called  upon  the  Minister, 
and  on  the  following  day  received  from  him  tickets 
of  admission  to  eleven  establishments  in  the  vicinity. 


ARRIVAL   IN   THE    CRIMEA.  209 

At  their  request  they  were  also  afterwards  furnished 
with  drawings  of  military  edifices  and  machinery, 
books  of  regulations,  etc. 

As  the -French  Government  had  thus  far  failed 
to  accord  the  Commissioners  leave  to  enter  the 
camp,  and  as  current  reports  foreshadowed  that  the 
siege  operations  about  Sebastopol  were  approaching  a 
crisis,  they  determined  to  hasten  to  the  Crimea,  with- 
out further  delay,  relying  upon  the  letters  received 
from  the  English  Government,  and  trusting  to  the 
courtesy  of  the  French  commander  for  facilities 
to  observe  operations  in  his  camp.  Proceeding 
through  Dresden,  Vienna — where  authority  was  ob- 
tained to  visit  on  their  return  such  of  the  military 
establishments  of  Austria  as  were  open  to  strangers 
— Laybach,  Trieste,  and  Smyrna,  the  travellers 
reached  Constantinople  on  the  16th  of  September. 
Here  they  had  an  interview  with  the  Sardinian 
Minister  who  favored  them  with  an  introductory 
letter  to  the  commander  of  the  Piedmontese  army 
before  Sebastopol.  The  British  naval  authorities 
continued  the  civility  which  had  already  been 
exhibited  by  their  Government,  and  transported 
them  on  the  first  steamer  for  Balaklava,  where 
they  arrived  on  the  8th  of  October. 

General  Simpson,  who,  on  the  death  of  Lord 
Raglan,  had  succeeded  to  the  command  of  the 
British  army,  learning  the  arrival  of  the  Americans, 
sent  two  officers  of  his  staff  to  conduct  them  to 


210  ON   DUTY   IN   EUROPE. 

quarters  he  had  assigned  to  them  on  Cathcart's 
Hill — a  locality  that  overlooked  a  great  extent  of 
the  field  of  operations,  and  was  consequently  emi- 
nently adapted  for  their  observations. 

But,  for  witnessing  the  scenes  of  actual  warfare, 
they  had  arrived  too  late — Sebastopol  had  fallen  just 
one  mouth  before  they  set  foot  on  the  Crimea.  To 
the  discourtesy  and  reserve  of  the  French  and  Russian 
governments  the  disappointment  must  be  attributed. 
Yet,  though  the  siege  was  over,  they  had  ample  oppor- 
tunities of  studying  the  means  and  appliances  used 
for  the  subjugation  of  Sebastopol,  both  from  per- 
sonal observation,  and  from  information  rendered 
by  actors  in  the  contest. 

Every  assistance  was  afforded  to  the  Commissioners 
by  the  English  and  Sardinian  commanders.  Colonel 
Delafield  remarks  that  General  Simpson  "  caused 
us  to  be  provided  with  rations  for  ourselves  and 
servants  and  forage  for  our  horses  during  our  entire 
sojourn  in  the  Crimea.  Every  official  and  personal 
facility  and  kindness  were  extended  to  us  by  the 
officers  of  the  English  army;  and  to  General  La 
Marmora  we  were  indebted  for  his  courteous  atten- 
tion in  detailing  an  officer  of  rank  of  his  staff  to 
conduct  us  through  the  Sardinian  camps  and  out- 
posts. During  the  whole  period  the  Commission 
remained  in  the  Crimea,  an  officer  of  the  English 
army,  under  the  authority  of  General  Simpson,  was 
our  daily  companion  to  escort  us  wherever  there 


CIVILITIES   AXD    INCIVILITIES.  211 

was  any  thing  of  interest  to  be  seen,  accompanied  on 
several  occasions  by  their  engineer  officers." 

On  the  contrary,  however,  the  treatment  received 
at  the  hands  of  the  French  commander  was  the 
reverse  of  polite.  If  these  gentlemen  had  merely 
visited  the  Crimea  in  their  individual  capacities,  the 
common  courtesy  universally  shown  by  the  military 
officers  of  one  nation  towards  those  of  another, 
would  have  demanded  a  treatment  beyond  that  of 
mere  civility ;  but,  when  we  consider  that  they  were 
accredited  by  their  government  to  visit  the  scene  of 
strife  in  an  official  capacity,  the  petty  excuses  Marshal 
Pelissier  made  for  not  receiving  them  were  little 
less  than  an  insult  to  the  country  they  represented. 

"  Immediately  after  establishing  ourselves  at  Oath- 
cart's  Hill,"  says  Colonel  Delafield,  "  we  made  it  our 
first  duty  to  call  upon  General  Pelissier,  to  pay  our 
respects  to  the  successful  general  of  the  campaign, 
to  explain  to  him  the  orders  of  our  Government, 
and  the  fact  of  not  having  to  that  date  received  the 
authority  of  the  French  Government  to  visit  their 
camps,  as  anticipated  from  the  conversations  with 
Count  Walewski,  at  Paris,  in  May."  They  were 
informed  by 'a  staff  officer  that  the  commander  was 
engaged,  and  could  not  see  them.  After  the  lapse 
of  a  week,  a  second  visit,  having  a  similar  object  in 
view,  was  made  to  the  French  head-quarters,  when 
the  Commissioners  were  told  that  the  Marshal 
would  appoint  a  time  for  receiving  them;  but, 


212  ON   DUTY    IN   EUROPE. 

though  they  remained  in  the  Crimea  for  more  than 
a  fortnight  afterwards,  he  failed  to  fulfil  his  promise. 

However,  before  leaving  the  seat  of  war,  an  official 
order  to  visit  the  French  camp  was  received  from 
Count  Walewski,  but  the  terms  upon  which  that  visit 
should  be  made  were  still  of  a  nature  unacceptable 
to  Captain  McClellan  and  his  colleagues.  The  re- 
sult was  that  the  Commission  confined  its  investiga- 
tion to  the  camps,  establishments,  and  works  of  the 
English,  Sardinian,  and  Turkish  armies,  and  never 
entered  the  French  camp  except  on  visits  of  cour- 
tesy. Its  members,  nevertheless,  were  permitted  .to 
visit  the  French  trenches,  Sebastopol,  the  Malakoflf, 
and  the  docks,  under  the  authority  of  a  printed  pass, 
such  as  was  given  to  any  visitor,  and  conferring  none 
of  those  especial  privileges  their  official  position 
should  have  commanded.  In  addition  to  this,  an 
officer  of  the  engineer  staff  was  kind  enough  to  lay 
before  them  the  plan  of  the  siege  works,  from  the 
commencement  of  siege  operations  to  the  final  as- 
sault on  the  8th  of  September,  which  served  to  give 
a  comprehensive  view  of  the  entire  campaign, — a 
favor  which  was  duly  appreciated. 

Having  made  as  complete  a  survey  as  circum- 
stances would  permit,  the  Commissioners  left  Balak- 
lava  on  the  2d  of  November,  in  an  English  trans- 
port, under  the  authority  of  General  Simpson.  After 
spending  some  days  in  Constantinople,  and  Scutari, 
on  the  opposite  Asiatic  shore,  to  examine  the 


THE   RETURN   ROUTE.  213 

hospitals  and  depots  of  the  allies,  they  sailed  on  the 
13th  of  November,  in  an  Austrian  steamer,  for  the 
mouth  of  the  Danube,  with  the  intention  of  ascend- 
ing that  river  to  Vienna.  But  delays  at  Varna,  and 
at. the  mouth  of  the  Danube,  compelled  them  to 
return  to  Constantinople,  and  take  the  route  to  the 
Austrian  capital  by  way  of  the  Adriatic  and  Trieste. 
Their  trip,  however,  had  afforded  them  an  oppor- 
tunity of  examining  the  defences  of  Varna,  which,  in 
connection  with  Shumla,  had  formed  barriers  against 
the  Russians  in  former  campaigns. 

The  journey  from  Trieste  to  Vienna  lay  over  the 
Semmering  railway,  and  presented  an  opportunity  of 
observing  the  results  of  the  engineering  skill  which 
has  made  that  remarkable  road  one  of  the  won- 
ders of  the  world.  At  Vienna,  which  was  reached 
on  the  16th  of  September,  an  officer  of  the  general 
staff  was  instructed  to  accompany  the  Americans 
daily  in  their  examination  of  the  Austrian  military 
establishments.  From  the  Grand  Dukes  William, 
commander  of  the  army,  and  Leopold,  chief  engineer, 
they  received  authority  to  visit  the  naval  and  mili- 
tary establishments  of  Venice,  Verona,  Mantuac, 
and  Milan  ;  and  we  can  readily  imagine  the  interest 
with  which  they  would  view  these  far  famed  cities, 
and  ponder  on  their  historical  associations.  This 
occupied  from  the  14th  to  the  25th  of  January, 
1856. 

At  Venice,  the  Governor  'ordered   an  officer  of 


214  ON   DUTY   IN    EUROPE. 

engineers  to  conduct  them  to  all  places  of  interest 
in  tlie  city  and  its  vicinity,  and  placed  his  steam  yacht 
at  their  disposal,  for  the  purpose  of  conveying  them 
about  the  lagunes  and  harbor  defences.  At  Verona, 
the  veteran  hero,  Marshal  Radetsky,  not  only  kindly 
received  them,  but  contributed  in  every  way  to  the 
attainment  of  their  wishes,  and  ministered  to  their 
personal  gratification.  An  officer  of  engineers  was 
here  likewise  ordered  to  accompany  them  in  their 
tour  of  military  inspection. 

Proceeding  to  Sardinia,  they  viewed  places  of 
interest  in  Genoa,  and  from  thence  sailed  to  France, 
reaching  Toulon  on  the  2d  of  February.  Oh! 
what  a  change  was  now  observable  in  the  rank  of  the 
individual  assigned  to  them  as  conductor.  They 
proceeded  to  examine  the  works  at  this  important 
depot  under  an  authority  previously  obtained  from 
the  French  Government,  and  under  the  polite 
guidance  of  a  porter  ! 

February  7th  was  spent  in  Marseilles,  and  the  fol- 
lowing day  occupied  in  a  ramble  among  the  forti- 
fications of  Lyons,  with  a  non-commissioned  officer 
as  guide.  Continuing  their  journey,  the  Commis- 
sioners proceeded  to  Belfort,  near  the  Swiss  border, 
where  they  had  the  pleasure  of  being  conducted  by 
an  officer  of  Engineers. 

The  important  military  works  of  Lyons  and  Bel- 
fort  were  of  especial  interest  to  the  visitors,  as 
they  comprised  a  combination  of  the  labors  of 


TOUR    OF   THE    RHINE.  215 

modern  Engineers,  and  those  of  the  celebrated 
Vauban. 

Passing  on,  they  reached  the  Rhenish  town  of  Stras- 
burg — memorable  in  history,  and  noted  for  its 
magnificent  Cathedral — on  the  17th,  where  General 
Grouchy  directed  an  officer  of  Engineers  to  accom- 
pany them  on  their  inspection. 

The  grand  Tour  of  the  Rhine  was  next  taken,  and 
in  the  journey  from  Strasburg  to  Cologne,  the  fron- 
tier German  fortress  of  Rastadt  was  hastily  viewed, 
in  the  company  of  a  staff-officer,  whilst  Coblentz, 
with  the  lofty  height  of  Ehrenbreitstein  frowning 
down  upon  it  from  beyond  the  river,  gave  much 
food  for  reflection  to  the  Americans,  who  were  here 
again  accompanied  by  an  officer  of  equal  rank  to 
their  own. 

The  military  works  at  Cologne  were  not  inspected 
from  an  oversight  in  obtaining  the  necessary  authori- 
zation, but  its  world-renowned  Cathedral,  which  has 
been  hundreds  of  years  in  course  of  erection,  and 
bids  fair  to  take  some  hundreds  more  before  it  is 
finished,  we  may  naturally  conclude  was  examined 
with  much  interest.  Cologne,  our  readers  will  be 
aware,  is  famed  for  the  manufacture  of  the  sweet- 
Bcented  water  which  bears  its  name.  It  is  also 
noted  for  the  multiplicity  of  its  noxious  smells,  if 
we  are  to  believe  the  poet  Coleridge,  who  discovered 
in  it  thirty  distinct  odors  vying  with  each  other  in 
their  foulness. 


216  OX   DUTY   IN   EUROPE. 

Belgium  was  now  entered,  and  Februry  24tli  and 
25th  spent  at  Liege,  the  great  hardware  mart  of  that 
busy  little  kingdom,  where  the  national  foundry  for 
artillery,  and  another  for  small  arms,  were  inspected. 

On  the  1st  of  March,  the  Commissioners  had  re- 
turned to  Paris.  Two  days  were  occupied  in  a  visit 
to  Vincennes,  over  which  they  were  conducted  by  a 
sergeant.  Under  similar  circumstances  other  mili- 
tary establishments  in  Paris  were  viewed,  but  the 
Americans  were  denied  an  examination  of  the  depots 
and  foundries  of  artillery  in  that  city.  They  were, 
however,  favored  with  plans  of  the  French  system 
of  barracks  and  other  military  buildings. 

The  Commissioners  next  proceeded  to  Cherbourg, 
on  the  coast  of  Normandy,  over  whose  important 
works  they  were  conducted  by  a  non-commissioned 
officer.  Thence,  passing  through  Havre,  where  new 
works  of  defence  under  construction  were  inspected, 
they  set  sail  for  England  on  the  24th  of  March,  and 
arrived  in  London  the  same  night,  no  doubt  thankful 
that  they  were  finally  relieved  from  the  discourtesy 
of  French  officials. 

Mr.  Dallas,  who,  during  their  absence,  had  suc- 
ceeded Mr.  Buchanan  as  our  Minister  to  England,  ap- 
plied on  the  31st  to  Lord  Palmerston  for  the  requisite 
permission  to  enable  the  Commissioners  to  inspect 
the  military  and  naval  establishments  in  and  around 
London  and  on  the  channel,  which  was  at  once 
obtained ;  but  from  some  unexplained  cause  no 


RETURN   TO    ENGLAND.  21 7 

authority  was  received  up  to  the  12th  of  April. 
On  the  following  day,  however,  Mr.  Dallas  was 
assured  that  orders  had  been  issued  for  admission 
to  all  the  establishments  enumerated  in  the  re- 
quest. The  arsenal  and  dock-yards  at  Woolwich, 
Portsmouth,  and  other  places,  were  now  visited,  and 
every  courtesy  and  facility  that  could  be  desired 
were  received  from  the  military  and  naval  officers 
there  stationed. 

An  official  invitation  was  also  forwarded  by  the 
Government,  through  Mr.  Dallas,  for  the  Commis- 
sioners to  be  present  at  a  review  of  the  fleet  at  Ports- 
mouth, and  when  at  Liverpool,  on  April  18th,  they 
received  a  communication  from  General  Wetherall, 
dated  the  previous  day  from  the  Horse-Guards, 
stating  that  the  Commander-in-Chief,  having  learned 
of  their  desire  to  see  the  military  establishments  of 
England,  had  ordered  that  every  facility  should  be 
afforded  them  in  their  visits,  on  receiving  an  intima- 
tion of  the  stations  they  desired  to  inspect ;  and, 
understanding  that  they  were  then  at  Liverpool, 
Lieutenant-General  Sir  Harry  Smith,  Bart.  G.  C.  B., 
commanding  at  Manchester,  had  been  directed  to 
communicate  with  them  with  a  view  to  their  admit- 
tance to  the  establishments  situated  in  the  northern 
and  midland  counties  of  England.  An  officer  of  the 
Dragoon  Guards  called  upon  the  Commissioners  the 
same  day  for  the  purpose  of  accompanying  them, 
10 


218  ON    DUTY    IN    EUROPE. 

and  carrying  into  effect  the  wishes  of  the  Com- 
mander-in-Chief. 

Captain  McClellan  and  his  companions  greatly  re- 
gretted the  receipt  of  this  kind  offer  at  so  late  a  date, 
as  having  made  arrangements  to  sail  for  the  United 
States  on  the  following  day,  they  were  prevented 
from  availing  themselves  of  the  favor  conferred. 

The  instructions  which  the  Commissioners  received 
from  the  War  Department,  gave  them  until  the  1st 
of  November,  1855,  for  the  fulfilment  of  the  duties 
with  which  they  were  intrusted,  but  they  reached 
home  nearly  six  months  before  that  time,  after  an 
absence  of  only  a  few  days  over  a  year.  More  than 
one-fourth  of  the  time  had  been  occupied  in  a  vain 
endeavor  to  obtain  the  sanction  of  two  of  the  belli- 
gerent powers  to  visit  their  camps ;  "  both  France 
and  Russia,"  remarks  Colonel  Delafield,  "interposing 
unexplained  difficulties,  through  the  meshes  of  diplo- 
macy, all  of  which  could  have  been  avoided  by  going, 
as  many  civilians  had  done  and  continued  to  do, 
direct  to  Sebastopol,  via  Constantinople.  This 
course  was,  however,  denied  to  the  Commission, 
from  the  very  fact  of  being  in  a  national  capacity 
for  public  purposes,  which  could  only  be  recognized 
and  sanctioned  through  the  formula  of  diplomacy." 


CHAPTER    XHI. 

AMONG     RAILROADS. 

Advantages  of  Foreign  Travel — McClellan's  knowledge  of  lan- 
guages— His  report — Its  contents — Reports  of  the  other  Com- 
missioners— McClellan  resigns  his  Commission  in  the  Army — 
Becomes  Chief-Engineer  and  Vice-President  of  the  Illinois 
Central  Railroad — Progress  of  the  Company — McClellan's 
Marriage — General  Superintendent  and  President  of  Ohio  and 
Mississippi  Railroad — The  War — Resigns  his  offices. 

A  TOUR  in  Foreign  Lands  has  almost  invariably 
-£^-  a  beneficial  effect.  The  traveller  of  even  meagre 
mental  powers  is  certain  to  derive  some  advantages 
from  mingling  with  the  people,  and  observing  the 
customs  of  other  countries ;  but,  when  possessed  of 
more  than  ordinary  abilities,  the  scope  of  his  in- 
formation is  enlarged  hi  a  more  than  ordinary  de- 
gree. The  high  position  attained  by  McClellan  at 
West  Point  sufficiently  proves  how  ductile  was  his 
mind  to  the  impress  of  knowledge,  whilst  his  va- 
rious explorations  drilled  him  in  the  school  of  dis- 
covery. 

Some  men,  it  is  true,  wander  through  regions 
overflowing  with  natural  beauties,  and  crowded 
with  historic  sites,  and  witness  the  most  exciting 


220  AMONG   KAILKOADS* 

scenes  without  deriving  much  benefit  themselves, 
or  being  able  to  impart  the  particulars  of  their 
observations  to  their  fellow-beings ;  whilst  others 
are  of  such  an  imaginative  turn  of  mind,  that 
in  describing  a  mole  hill  they  would  make  you 
believe  it  was  a  mountain,  and  would  transform 
a  street  riot  into  an  attempt  at  revolution.  Captain 
McClellan  belonged  to  neither  of  these  classes ; 
he  possessed  the  talent  of  keen  observation  in 
the  highest  degree,  and  the  good  sense  of  delineating 
and  describing  what  he  saw  with  mathematical 
accuracy. 

A  knowledge  of  the  leading  European  languages 
enabled  him  to  converse  freely  with  the  people  of 
the  countries  through  which  he  travelled,  and  to 
obtain  much  information  that  would  necessarily  have 
been  denied  to  him  if  his  conversations  had  had 
to  be  filtered  through  the  brains  of  interpreters. 
This  knowledge  included  some  slight  acquaintance 
with  the  difficult  and  uncouth  Russian  tongue,  which 
he  was  so  far  able  to  increase  during  his  stay  in 
St.  Petersburg,  as  to  be  capable  on  his  return  home 
of  translating  a  work  from  the  original  Russ  into  his 
own  language. 

The  limits  of  our  book  make  it  impossible  to  de- 
scribe the  European  tour  as  fully  as  we  would  desire. 
We  have  been  compelled  to  confine  ourselves  to  a 
brief  outline  of  those  matters  which  relate  to  the 
official  nature  of  the  visit.  The  fate  which  befell 


M'CLELLAN'S  MILITARY  REPORT.  221 

Captain  McClellan's  letters,  to  some  extent  necessi- 
tates this  course;  but  we  might  have  introduced 
many  pleasant  incidents  connected  with  the  places 
he  saw,  if  our  space  had  permitted. 

The  reports  of  the  three  commissioners  were  pre- 
pared and  published  after  their  return  home.  They 
form  three  quarto  volumes,  extensively  illustrated — 
a  separate  volume  being  given  to  each  officer's  re- 
port— and  constitute  valuable  contributions  to  ti:e. 
science  of  war.  The'  first  which  made  its  appearance 
was  the  volume  from  the  pen  of  Captain  McClellan, 
submitted  to  Congress  February  27,  1857.  It  treats 
on  the  siege  operations  in  the  Crimea,  with  an  his- 
torical sketch  of  the  campaign ;  European  engineer 
troops;  French,  Austrian,  and  Sardinian  infantry; 
the  Russian  army ;  and  the  cavalry  of  Russia,  Aus- 
tria, France,  England,  and  Sardinia.  It  also  con- 
tains remarks  upon  the  cavalry  of  the  United  States, 
with  suggestions  for  the  improvement  of  that  branch 
of  the  service,  by  engrafting  upon  our  system 
a  selection  of  the  best  features  of  the  European. 
The  volume  concludes  with  "Regulations  and  Instruc- 
tions for  the  field  service  of  cavalry  in  time  of  war, 
for  the  United  States  army,"  translated  from  the 
original  Russian,  and  adapted  to  our  own  organi- 
zation, with  the  addition  of  minor  details  suggested 
by  former  readings  and  service  in  the  field.  Captain 
McClellan  considered  it  more  than  probable  that  this 
portion  of  his  work  would  be  found  usefully  to  fill  an 


222  AMONG    RAILROADS. 

important  void  in  our  military  literature,  whilst  he 
was  satisfied  that  its  rules  were  based  upon  true 
principles. 

How  far  he  was  correct  in  these  views  is  evident 
when  we  state  that  the  "  Regulations"  have  been  re- 
published  in  a  convenient  form  for  use  as  a  text-book 
in  the  service,  making  the  second  manual  of  in- 
struction written  by  him.  The  complete  report  has 
also  been  reprinted  in  a  compact  octavo  form, 
under  the  title  of  "The  Armies  of  Europe,"  and 
the  portion  relating  to  "  European  Cavalry"  has 
been  separately  issued  in  a  portable  volume. 

The  reports  of  the  other  two  Commissioners  were 
not  submitted  to  Congress  until  four  years  after 
that  of  Captain  McClellan — the  active  official  du- 
ties of  those  officers  having  delayed  the  prepara- 
tion. Colonel  Delafield's  volume  opens  with  the 
narrative  of  the  journey,  and  is  devoted  to  a  trea- 
tise on  fortifications,  harbor  defences,  ordnance, 
and  the  requirements  of  an  army  during  transporta- 
tion and  in  the  field ;  and  closes  with  an  elaborate 
review  of  the  defensive  works  and  military  estab- 
lishments of  the  great  powers.  Major  Mordecai  in  his 
report  more  especially  treats  of  artillery,  small  arms, 
and  the  materiel  of  war,  adding  some  remarks  on 
military  organization. 

Toward  the  close  of  the  year  in  which  Captain  Mc- 
Clellan returned  from  the  Crimea,  the  Illinois  Cen- 


ILLINOIS   CENTRAL   BAILED  AD.  223 

tral  Railroad  Company  sought  his  services  as  chief- 
engineer. 

The  great  importance  of  that  position  may  be  easily 
conceived,  when  we  state  the  company,  at  that  time, 
possessed  a  landed  interest  covering  an  area  of  two 
and  a  half  millions  of  acres — a  surface  nearly  equal 
to  the  State  of  Connecticut.  Though  the  railroad 
had  been  completed,  the  great  resources  of  the  com- 
pany were  as  yet  undeveloped ;  the  lands  had  to  be 
disposed  of,  and  towns  and  villages  created  along  its 
line,  before  any  return  for  the  outlay  could  be  re- 
ceived. 

The  great  engineering  knowledge  McClellan  had 
displayed  in  his  exploration  for  the  Pacific  Railroad, 
and  the  complete  manner  in  which  he  had  shown 
himself  able  to  grasp  the  general  details  of  railroad 
management  exhibited  in  his  inquiry  into  the  rail- 
way system  of  the  United  States,  marked  him  as  a 
suitable  person  to  fill  the  office  the  Illinois  Company 
had  vacant. 

He  saw  no  immediate  call  for  active  duty  in 
his  chosen  profession  of  arms.  The  country  was 
at  peace,  and  he  foresaw  greater  opportunities  for 
advancement  in  the  paths  of  peace,  than  in  the  mili- 
tary service. 

Resigning  his  commission  in  the  army  on  January 
16th,  1857,  he  almost  immediately  entered  upon  the 
duties  of  chief-engineer  of  the  Illinois  Railroad,  and 
on  December  7th,  of  the  same  year,  was  elected  to 


224  AMONG   RAILROADS. 

the  office  of  vice-president.  If  we  desire  to  learn 
the  advantages  that  both  the  Railroad  Company  and 
the  State  of  Illinois  have  derived  from  his  services, 
we  have  but  to  travel  over  the  line — a  dist  ance  of 
seven  hundred  miles.  An  immense  number  of  farms 
have  sprung  up  on  either  side,  covering  the  prairies 
with  wavy  wheat-fields,  that  in  due  season  send  their 
produce  along  the  railroad  to  the  granaries  of  Chi- 
cago, whence  it  is  transported  to  the  Eastern  States  and 
to  Europe.  Villages  and  towns,  too,  have  sprung  up 
where  the  prairie-flower  used  to  grow,  and  the  prairie- 
chicken  hatched  her  eggs.  The  inhabitants,  as  a 
matter  of  course,  administer  to  the  resources  of  the 
company. 

It  would  be  saying  too  much  to  assert  that  Captain 
McClellan  had  been  instrumental  in  drawing  to  the 
neighborhood  of  the  railroad,  the  vast  tide  of  emigra- 
tion which  flowed  in  that  direction.  It  was  doubtless 
attracted  thither  in  consequence  of  the  great  fer- 
tility of  the  soil,  but,  to  McClellan' s  energy  and  admi- 
rable management  of  the  line,  must  be  attributed  no 
small  amount  of  the  rapid  progress  of  the  "  Illinois 
Central"  during  the  time  he  was  connected  with  the 
company. 

He  resided  at  Chicago  at  the  time,  and  in  prose- 
cuting the  duties  of  his  office,  first  became  acquainted 
with  Mr.  Lincoln,  who,  at  that  period,  practised  law 
at  Springfield,  the  capital  of  the  State. 

On  the  22d  of  May,  1860,  Captain  McClellan  was 


M'CLELLAN'S  MABKIAGE.  225 

married  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hawks,  at  Calvary  Church, 
in  the  city  of  New  York,  to  Ellen,  eldest  daughter 
of  Major  Randolph  B.  Marcy,  his  companion  in  the- 
exploration  of  the  Hed  River.  One  daughter,  now 
about  three  years  old,  forms  the  issue  of  this  marriage. 
The  important  advantages  which  the  Illinois  Cen- 
tral Railroad  had  derived  from  McClellan's  manage- 
ment, caused  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  Railroad  Com- 
pany to  seek  his  services,  in  the  hope  that  he  would 
be  able  to  draw  that  corporation  out  of  the  financial 
difficulties  in  which  it  was  involved.  He  termi- 
nated his  connection  with  the  Illinois  Railroad  on 
July  18th,  1860,  leaving  the  board  with  the  high 
confidence  and  regrets  of  the  company,  and  on  the 
21st  of  the  following  month  entered  upon  his  duties 
on  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  Railroad. 

The  line  was  divided  into  two  sections,  eastern 
and  western.  It  was  desirable,  for  the  thorough 
working  of  the  affair,  that  the  management  of  the 
two  divisions  should  be  placed  under  one  head. 
McClellan  was  therefore  appointed  general  superin- 
tendent of  the  entire  road,  and  president  of  the 
eastern  division,  residing  at  Cincinnati. 

The  Var  which  broke  out  at  the  beginning  of  the 
following  year,  calling  him  back  to  his  old  profession, 
scarcely  left  him  time  to  develop  his  plans  for  the 
improvement  of  the  resources  of  the  company,  but 
it  had  sufficed  to  gain  him  the  confidence  and  esteem 
of  his  co-laborers. 
10* 


226  AMONG   RAILROADS. 

It  rarely  falls  to  the  lot  of  one  so  young  as 
McClellan  then  was — from  thirty  to  thirty-four 
years  of  age — to  be  intrusted  with  positions  so  im- 
portant and  responsible  as  those  he  had  filled  during 
his  short  career  in  civil  life. 

It  was  at  first  anticipated  that  the  conflict  into 
which  this  country  had  been  drawn  would  not  be  of 
long  duration,  and  he  hoped  to  be  enabled  shortly  to 
return  to  his  duties  on  the  railroad.  It  was,  how- 
ever, destined  otherwise.  The  post  of  general 
superintendent  it  was  necessary  to  abandon  when  the 
sword  was  unsheathed,  but  the  office  of  president 
was  retained.  McClellan,  however,  resigned  the 
•latter  position  in  a  letter  dated  January  9th,  11862, 
written  with  much  feeling,  and  couched  in  eloquent 
language ;  but  the  resignation  was  held  in  abeyance 
until  the  general  meeting  of  the  company  on  the  3d 
of  the  following  June,  when  it  was  accepted. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

VICTORIES   IN   WESTERN   VIRGINIA. 

1 

Cause  of  the  Rebellion — Sumter  attacked — Call  to  arms — The 
Ohio  contingent — McClellan  appointed  Major-General — Depart- 
ment of  the  Ohio — The  States  unprepared  for  war — Loyalty 
of  Western  Virginia — McClellan's  proclamation  to  the  people 
and  address  to  his  soldiers — Rebel  camp  at  Phillippi  dispersed — 
Perilous  feat  of  Colonel  Lander — McClellan  takes  command  in 
person — Patriotic  and  spirited  address — Forward  movement — 
Rich  Mountain— Surrender  of  Pegram — Morris's  Division — 
Laurel  Hill — Retreat  of  G-amett — Federal  Pursuit — Difficulties 
and  encounters — Carrick's  Ford — Death  of  Garnett  —  The 
brave  Georgian — A  Massachusetts  rebel  —  The  preacher's 
prayer — A  hard  day's  work — "Western  Virginia  cleared  of  the 
rebels — McClellan  thanked  by  Legislature  and  Congress — 
Tributes  to  his  Military  Genius. 

rpHE  election,  in  the  fall  of  1860,  of  a  President 
'-J-  whose  political  views  were  repugnant  to  the 
people  of  the  South,  caused  the  majority  of  the 
Slave  States  to  desire  a  severance  from  the  Union, 
which,  in  the  days  of  our  Revolutionary  Fathers, 
they  had  joined  for  weal  or  woe.  They  would  not 
listen  to  the  fact,  that  in  the  Constitution — the 
Magna  Chart  a  of  our  land — they  had  ample  protec- 
tion for  their  rights,  provided  they  had  required 
their  senators  and  representatives  in  Congress  to 
remain  faithful  to  their  duties.  There  was  at  the 
time,  in  both  Senate  and  House,  majorities  that  would 


228  VICTORIES    IN    WESTERN   VIRGINIA. 

prevent  the  passage  of  any  law  considered  detri- 
mental to  the  interests  of  any  State,  or  of  the  country 
at  large. 

As  the  new  President  had  been  constitutionally 
elected,  it  was  hoped  that  the  malcontents,  as  had 
often  been  the*  case  before:,  would  have  quietly  bowed 
to  the  decision,  and  have  labored  strenuously  to  elect 
a  more  congenial  President  when  the  proper  period 
should  arrive. 

But,  like  petted  children  who  are  never  contented 
unless  they  can  have  every  thing  their  own  way, 
they  recalled  their  senators  and  representatives  from 
their  posts,  and  bade  defiance  to  the  Union  they 
should  have  sought  to  preserve. 

On  the  12th  of  April,  1861, — less  than  six  weeks 
after  the  inauguration  of  Mr.  Lincoln — they  carried 
their  threats  into  open  hostilities,  and  fired  upon  the 
Federal  flag  that  floated  over  Fort  Sumter. 

The  people  of  the  North  had  not  paid  much  heed  to 
the  murmuring  of  the  political  volcano.  They  had 
heard  it  before,  and  the  sound  had  died  away  without 
an  eruption.  They  had  trusted  that  it  would  be  the 
same  now  ;  but,  alas !  they  were  grievously  mistaken. 

Almost  as  quickly  as  the  electric  wire  conveyed 
the  intelligence  of  the  insult  thus  offered  to  the 
country,  the  vast  population  of  the  North  rose,  as  one 
man,  and  declared  it  should  be  avenged.  The  North 
was  united  then,  for  it  had  but  one  object  in  view — 
the  unity  of  the  nation  and  the  upholding  of  the 


CALLED  INTO  SERVICE.  229 

principles  of  the  Constitution.  The  new  President 
declared  that  he  would  only  adopt  such  measures 
to  restore  to  the  Government  the  public  places 
already  seized  by  the  recreant  citizens  of  the 
South,  as  he  found  were  given  him  by  the  Constitu- 
tion. He,  at  that  time,  little  imagined  the  immense 
proportions  to  which  the  rebellion  would  swell.  He 
considered  that  seventy-five  thousand  men  would 
suffice  to  restore  order,  and,  on  the  15th  of  April, 
called  upon  the  loyal  States  to  supply  that  number 
from  their  militia,  for  a  period  of  three  months.  No' 
sooner  was  the  call  made,  than  the  ranks  were  filled 
with  aspirants  for  military  glory,  who  knew  little  of 
the  sad  trials  of  war,  and  less  of  the  miseries  that 
follow  on  its  trail. 

The  State  of  Ohio  was  required  to  furnish  thirteen 
regiments  as  its  quota.  The  men  were  easily  forth- 
coming, but  the  State  possessed  few  arms  with  which 
to  equip,  and  scarcely  any  officers  to  organize  them. 
The  attention  of  Governor  Dennison  was  at  once 
turned  to  Captain  McClellan,  as  a  person  eminently 
qualified  to  assist  him  in  the  emergency  in  which  he 
was  placed.  Pie  immediately  urged  upon  the  Ad- 
ministration the  advisability  of  having  that  officer 
restored  to  his  rank  in  the  Regular  Army,  and  en- 
trusted with  the  organization  of  the  Ohio  Volun- 
teers ;  but  communication  with  Washington  was  cut 
off  and  no  reply  was  received. 

The  Governor  then  summoned  him  to  Columbus, 


230  VICTORIES    IN    WESTERN    VIRGINIA. 

to  undertake  the  work  of  organization,  and,  as  LI 
patriotic  citizen,  MoClellan  was  at  once  ready  to 
leave  the  peaceful  walks  of  civil  life,  and  again  take 
up  arms  in  behalf  of  his  country. 

It  mattered  not  to  him  that  many  of  his  brother- 
officers,  with  whom  he  had  fought  shoulder  to  shoulder 
on  the  battle-fields  of  Mexico,  were  arrayed  on  the  side 
of  the  South — nor'did  it  signify  that  its  leader,  Jeffer- 
son Davis,  was  a  personal  friend,  and  that  under 
him,  as  Secretary  of  War,  he  had  been  entrusted  with 
important  missions.  His  country  had  the  first  claim  ; 
and  when  she  called  for  his  services,  in  the  hour  of  her 
need,  he  felt  he  had  no  alternative  but  to  obey. 

The  Legislature  of  the  State  'immediately  passed 
a  bill,  authorizing  the  Governor  to  appoint  officers  to 
the  Volunteer  forces,  under  which  act,  on  April  23d, 
Captain  McClellan  was  commissioned  Major-General 
of  the  Ohio  Volunteers. 

Governor  Curtin,  of  Pennsylvania,  had  expressed  a 
wish  to  place  the  organization  of  the  troops  in  that 
State,  under  his  charge,  but  the  services  of  the  experi- 
enced soldier  were  secured  to  Ohio  before  the  authori- 
ties of  the  Keystone  State  made  known  to  him  their 
desire. 

So  totally  unprepared  was  Ohio  for  the  impending 
struggle, — being  deficient  in  almost  every  require- 
ment for  the  equipment  of  the  soldiers, — that  the  new 
Major-General  was  beset  with  numerous  obstacles  in 
the  performance  of  his  duty ;  added  to  which,  the 


APPOINTED    MAJOIl-GENEliAL.  231 

absence  of  Government  funds  created  no  little  em- 
barrassment. 

On  the  3d  of  May,  the  States  of  Ohio,  Indiana, 
and  Illinois  were  formed  into  "The  department  of  the 
Ohio,"  and  placed  under  the  command  of  McClellan, 
who,  on  the  14th  of  the  same  month,  was  raised  to 
the  rank  of  Major- General  in  the  United  States  army. 
The  increase  of  his  sphere  of  action  added  con- 
siderably to  the  General's  difficulties,  for  the  new 
States  brought  under  his  control  were  as  unprepared 
for  the  equipment  of  their  men  as  Ohio.  . 

Leaving  the  army  a  captain,-  and,  after  an  absence 
of  four  years,  returning  to  it  a  major-general,  might 
naturally  have  engendered  an  envious  feeling  in  the 
breasts  of  many  who  had  remained  in  the  service 
without  promotion ;  but,  as  it  was  remarked  in .  one 
of  the  journals  of  the  day,  "his  choice  personal  and 
military  accomplishments  only  forbade  his  old  com- 
rades looking  with  envy  upon  his  rapid  promotion. 
Whatever  feeling  of  this  sort  the  events  of  his  career 
may  suggest  are  overborne  by  pride  in  his  growth, 
and  confidence  in  his  ability  to  serve  his  country  in 
a  manner  commensurate  with  his  "advanced  position." 

The  men  of  Western  Virginia  remained  true  to 
the  Union,  and  determined  to  repudiate  the  action 
of  the  convention  that  had  voted  the  Old  Dominion 
out  of  it.  They  consequently  rendered  themselves 
obnoxious  to  the  authorities  at  Richmond,  who  de- 
termined to  compel  them  to  unite  their  destinies 


232  VICTORIES   IN    WESTERN   VIRGINIA. 

with  those  of  the  rest  of  the  State.  They  elected  a 
new  State  Government  and  Legislature,  and  eventu- 
ally decided  to  secede  from  the  seceders,  resolving, 
both  in  convention  and  at  the  polls,  to  create  their 
district  into  a  new  State,  to  be  reckoned  amongst 
those  loyal  to  the  Union. 

To  clear  Western  Virginia  of  its  oppressors  was 
McClellan's  first  great  act  in  the  present  war.  Tn 
order  that  its  citizens  might  clearly  understand  the 
true  purposes  of  the  occupation  of  their  soil  by 
Northern  troops,  on  May  26th  he  issued  the  follow- 
ing Proclamation  to  the  Union  men.  of  Western 
Virginia : 

"  VIRGINIANS  :: — The  General  Government  has  long 
enough  endured  the  "machinations  of  a  few  factious 
rebels  in  your  midst.  Armed  traitors  have  in  vain 
endeavored  to  deter  you  from  expressing  your  loyalty 
at  the  polls.  Having  failed  in  this  infamous  attempt 
to  deprive  you  of  the  exercise  of  your  dearest  rights, 
they  now  seek  to  inaugurate  a  reign  of  terror,  and 
thus  force  you  to  yield  to  their  schemes,  and  submit 
to  the  yoke  of  the  traitorous  conspiracy  dignified  by 
the  name  of  the  Southern  Confederacy.  They  are 
destroying  the  property  of  citizens  of  your  State,  and 
ruining  your  magnificent  railways. .  The  General 
Government  has  heretofore  carefully  abstained  from 
sending  troops  across  the  Ohio,  or  even  from  posting 
them  along  its  banks,  although  frequently  urged  to 
do  so  by  many  of  your  prominent  citizens. 


M'CLELLAN'S  PROCLAMATION.  233 

"  It  determined  to  await  the  result  of  the  State 
election,  desirous  that  no  one  might  be  able  to  say 
that  the  slightest  effort  had  been  made  from  this 
side  to  influence  the  free  expression  of  your  opinions, 
although  the  many  agencies  brought  to  bear  upon 
you  by  the  rebels  were  well  known.  You  have  now 
shown,  under  the  most  adverse  circumstances,  that 
the  great  mass  of  the  people  of  Western  Virginia  -ire 
true  and  loyal  to  that  beneficent  Government  under 
which  we  'and  our  fathers  have  lived  so  long.  As 
soon  as  the  result  of  the  election  was  known,  the 
traitors  commenced  their  work  of  destruction.  The 
General  Government  cannot  close  its  ears,  to  the  de- 
mand you  have  made  for  assistance.  I  have  ordered 
troops  to  cross  the  Ohio  river.  They  come  as  your 
friends  and  brothers,  as  enemies  only  to  armed 
rebels  who  are  preying  upon  you.  Ypur  homes, 
your  families,  and  your  property  are  safe  under  our 
protection.  All  your  rights  shall  be  religiously 
respected. 

"  Notwithstanding  all  that  has  been  said  by  the 
traitors  to  induce  you  to  believe  our  advent  among 
you  will  be  signalized  by  an  interference  with  your 
slaves,  understand  one  thing  clearly  :  "Not  only  will- 
we  abstain  from  all  such  interference,  but  we  will, 
on  the  contrary,  with  an  iron  hand,  crush  any  at- 
tempt at  insurrection  on  their  part. 

"  Now  that  we  are  in  your  midst,  I  call  upon  you 
to  fly  to  arms  and  support  the  General  Government. 


234  VICTORIES    IX    WESTERN   VIRGINIA. 

Sever  the  connection  that  binds  you  to  traitors  ;  pro- 
claim to  the  world  that  the  faith  and  loyalty  so  long 
boasted  by  the  Old  Dominion  are  still  preserved  in 
Western  Virginia,  and  that  you  remain  true  to  the 
Stars  and  Stripes." 

The  following  address  was  at  the  same  time  issued 
to  his  soldiers,  for  the  purpose  of  infusing  into  them 
a  proper  feeling,  and  a  due  appreciation  of  the  rights 
and  property  of  the  people  they  were  going  to  pro- 
tect : 

"  SOLDIERS  :' — You  are  ordered  to  cross  the  fron- 
tier and  enter  on  the  soil -of  Virginia.  Your  mission 
is  to  restore  peace  and  confidence,  to  protect  the 
majesty  of  the  law,  and  to  secure  our  brethren  from 
the  grasp  of  armed  traitors.^  You  are  to  act  in  con- 
cert with  Virginia  troops,  and  to  support  their  ad- 
vance. I  place  under  the  safeguard  of  your  honor, 
the  persons  and  property  of  the  Virginians.  I  know 
you  will  respect  their  feelings  and  all  their  rights. 

"Preserve  the  strictest  discipline ; — remember,  that 
each  one  of  you  holds  in  his  keeping  the  honor  of 
Ohio  and  the  Union.  If  you  are  called  to  overcome 
armed  opposition,  I  know  your  courage  is  equal  to 
the  task ; — but  remember  that  your  only  foes  are  the 
armed  traitors,  and  show  mercy  even  to  them,  when 
they  are  "in  your  power,  for  many  of  them  are  mis- 
guided. 

"  When,  under  your  protection,  the  loyal  men 
of  Western  Virginia  have  been  enabled  to  organize 


ATTACK    ON    PHILLIPPI.  235 

and  arm,  they  can  protect  themselves,  and-  you  can 
then  return  to  your  homes  with  the  proud  satisfaction 
of  having  saved  a  gallant  people  from  destruction." 

The  rebels  having  commenced  to  burn  the  bridges 
of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  railroad,  a  portion  of 
McClellan's  forces,  under  Colonel  Kelly,  entered 
Virginia,  and  early  in  the  afternoon  of  May  30th 
reached  Grafton,  which,  on  his  approach,  was  aban- 
doned by  the  enemy,  who  fell  back  upon  Phillippi, 
a  village  some  twenty  miles  distant  in  the  direction 
of  Beverly. 

A  camp  of  rebels,  about  two  thousand  in  dumber, 
under  Colonel  Porterlield,  having  collected  at  the 
latter  place,  two  detachments  of  loyal  Virginia,  Ohio, 
and  Indiana  Volunteers,  under  the  command  of 
Colonels  Kelly  and  Dumont,  on  the  evening  of  June 
2d,  proceeded  from  Grafton  for  the  purpose  of  dis- 
lodging them  at  four  o'clock  on  the  following  morning. 
The  march  of  the  two  divisions  was  performed 
through  darkness,  rain,  arid  mud.  All  night  the  men 
went  bravely  to  work,  unshrinkingly  and  without 
complaint,  until  the  gray  dawn  of  morning,  when  they 
found  themselves  in  the  presence  of  the  enemy.  As 
the  troops  wider  Lander,  who  directed  the  artillery 
in  Dumont's  division,  approached  Phillippi  they  were 
discovered  by  a  woman,  who  fired  at  their  com- 
manding officer  twice,  and  sent  her  boy  across  the 
hills  to  apprise  the  Confederates  of  the  approach. 
The  Colonel  reached  an  eminence  which  commanded 


236  VICTORIES    IN   WESTERN   VIRGINIA. 

the  town,  encamped  a  little  before  daylight,  and  at 
once  planted  two  pieces  of  artillery  in  readiness  to 
open  upon  the  rebels  at  the  hour  appointed  for  the 
simultaneous  attack  of  both  divisions.  Lander  was 
to  approach  them  whilst  Kelly  was  to  be  prepared  to 
cut  off  their  retreat  in  the  rear ;  but  owing  to  the 
terrible  fatigue  of  the  forced  march,  twenty-two 
miles,  the  latter  did  not  arrive  until  after  the  time 
agreed  upon ;  in  addition  to  which  a  mistake  in  the 
road  brought  him  to  a  point  where  he. could  not 
effectually  cut  off  the  retreat. 

At  daybreak  Lander  discovered  the  encampment  in 
great  commotion,  and  preparing  for  defence.  Shortly 
after  four  he  opened  the  attack,  fearful  that  the  enemy 
would  make  his  escape  before  Kelly's  arrival,  but 
simultaneously  with  the  firing  of  the  first  gun,  the 
latter  came  in  sight  at  the  head  of  his  command,  and 
immediately  rushed 'forward  in  the  direction  of  the 
camp.  At  the  same  time  the  battery  obtained  an  ac- 
curate range  of  the  enemy,  who,  unable  to  stand  the 
deadly  missiles  fired  upon  them,  sought  safety  in 
flight,  leaving  behind  them  nearly  eight  hundred 
stand  of  arms,  a  number  of  horses,  and  all  their  camp 
equipage  and  provisions.  Lander,  on  Ahorseback, 
dashed  down  the  'steep  declivity  to  communicate 
with  Colonel  Kelly,  and  the  perilous  feat  caused 
his  men  to  hold  their  breath  until  they  saw  their 
leader  safe  on  level  ground.  The  troops  imme- 
diately rushed  after  him,  and  pursued  the  fugitives. 

• 


THE    CAMPAIGN   COMMENCED.  237 

But,  already  much  exhausted  from  the  weary  march 
of  the  preceding  night,  they  found  it  fruitless  long 
to  continue  the  pursuit. 

After  the  enemy  had  been  put  to  rout,  Kelly  was 
fired  upon  from  behind  a  wagon,  and  so  danger- 
ously wounded  that  it  was  feared  he  could  not  sur- 
vive. "  I  expect  I  shall  have  to  die,"  he  said  ;  "  I 
should  be  glad  to  live,  if  it  might  be,  that  I  might 
do  something  for  my  country ;  but  if  it  cannot  be,  I 
shall  have  at  least  the  consolation  of  knowing  that  I 
fell  in  a  just  cause." 

The  absence  of  means  of  transportation  and  of 
cavalry  rendered  it  impossible  to  follow  up  this  suc- 
cess. The  position  gained,  however,  was  held  whilst 
McClellan  sedulously  proceeded  in  his  work  of  pre- 
paration for  a  vigorous  campaign.  His  arrangements 
being  completed  by  the  20th  of  June,  he  on  that  day 
left  Cincinnati  to  take  the  field  in  person,  and  pro- 
ceeded by  way  of  Parkersburg  to  Grafton. 

"It  was  in  this  campaign,"  writes  a  foreign  omcer 
in  the  Confederate  service,  "  that  McClellan,  for  the 
first  time,  drow  public  attention  upon  himself,  and 
won  the  hearts  of  his  men  by  the  circumspection,  as 
well  as  by  the  bravery  which  he  displayed.  It  was 
he  who  shook  the  Federal  army  out  of  the  lethargy 
into  which  it  had  fallen,  and  led  it  to  a  victory, 
which,  under  other  circumstances,  would  have  put 
an  end  to  the  existence  of  the  Confederate  army  in 
the  West." 


238  VICTORIES    IX    WESTERN    VIRGINIA. 

On  June  23d,  McClellan  issued  a  second  address  to 
the  people  of  Western  Virginia,  in  which  he  stated : 

"  To  my  great  regret,,  I  find  that  the  enemies  of 
the  United  States  continue  to  carry  on  a  system  of 
hostilities  prohibited  by  the  laws  of  war  among  bel- 
ligerent'nations,  and  of  course  far  more  wicked  and 
intolerable  when  directed  against  loyal  citizens  en- 
gaged in  the  defence  of  the  common  Government 
of  all.  Individuals  and  marauding  parties  are  pur- 
suing a  guerrilla  warfare,  firing  upon  sentinels  and 
pickets,  burning  bridges,  insulting,  injuring,  and  even 
killing  citizens  because  of  their  Union  sentiments, 
and  committing  many  kindred  acts." 

These  guerrillas  he  promised  "should  be  dealt 
with  in  their  persons  and  property  according  to  the 
severest  rules  of  military  law." 

T\vo  days  later,  he  issued  the  following  spirited 
address  to  the  men  under  his  command: 

"  To  THE  SOLDIERS  OF  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  WEST  : 
You  are  here  to  support  the  Government  of  your 
country,  and  to  protect  the  lives  and  liberties  of  your 
brethren,  threatened  by  a  rebellious  and  traitorous 
foe.  No  higher  or  nobler  duty  could  devolve  upon 
you,  and  I  expect  you  to  bring  to  its  performance 
the  highest  and  noblest  qualities  of  soldiers, — disci- 
pline, courage,  and  mercy. 

"  I  call  upon  the  officers  of  every  grade  to  enforce 
the  strictest  discipline,  .and  I  know  that  those  of  all 
grades,  privates  and  officers,  will  display  in  battle 


ADDRESS   TO    HIS    SOLDIERS.  209 

cool  heroic  courage,  and  will  know  how  to  show 
mercy  to  a  disarmed  enemy.  Bear  in  mind  that  yon 
are  in  the  country  of  friends,  not  of  enemies — that 
you  are  here  to  protect,  not  to  destroy.  Take  noth- 
ing, destroy  nothing,  unless  you  are  ordered  to  do 
so  by  your  general  officers.  Remember  that  I  have 
pledged  my  word  to  the  people  of  Western  Virginia, 
that  their  rights  in  person  and  property  shall  be  re- 
spected. I  ask  every  one  of  you  to  make  good  this 
promise  in  its  broadest  sense. 

"  We  come  here  to  save,  not  to  upturn.  I  do  not 
appeal  to  the  fear  of  punishment,  but  to  your  appre- 
ciation of  the  sacredness  of  the  cause  in  which  we  are 
engaged.  Carry  with  you  into  battle  the  conviction 
that  you  are  right,  and  that  God  is  on  our  side. 
Your  enemies,  have  violated  every  moral  law ;  neither 
God  nor  man  can  sustain  them.  They  have,  without 
cause,  rebelled  against  a  mild  and  paternal  Govern- 
ment; they  have  seized  upon  public  and  private 
property;  they  have  outraged  the  persons  of  Northern 
men,  merely  because  they  came  from  the  North,  and 
of  Southern  Union  men,  merely  because  they  loved 
the  Tinion;  they  have  placed  themselves  beneath 
contempt  unless  they  can  retrieve  some  honor  on  the 
field  of  battle. 

"  You  will  pursue  a  different  course ;  you  will  be 
honest,  brave,  and  merciful;  you  will  respect  the 
right  of  private  opinion  ;  you  will  punish  no  man  for 
opinion's  sake.  Show  to  the  world  that  you  differ 


240  VICTORIES   IN   WESTERN   VIRGINIA. 

from  our  enemies  in  the  points  of  honor,  honesty, 
and  respect  for  private  opinion,  and  that  we  inau- 
gurate no  reign  of  terror  wherever  we  go. 

"  Soldiers,  I  have  heard  that  there  was  danger 
here.  I  have  come  to  place  myself  at  your  head  and 
share  it  with  you.  I  fear  now  but  one  thing,  that 
you  will  not  find  foemen  worthy  of  your  steel.  I 
know  that  I  can  rely  upon  you." 

This  patriotic  and  -soul-stirring  address  inspired  the 
men  with  the  hope  that  they  would  be  led  to  speedy 
victory — a  hope  that  was  soon  to  be  realized.  For  a 
month  they  had  been  anxious  to  be  led  against  the 
enemy,  and  fretted  at  their  restraint.  Their  com- 
mander, in  the  mean  time,  had  befen  energetic  in  the 
thorough  arrangements  of  his  plans,  and  so  perfectly 
did  he  complete  them,  that,  when  he  took  the  field 
in  person  and  commenced  his  march,  there  was  no 
withstanding  his  progress,  nor  any  resisting  the  force 
of  his  sturdy  blows. 

The  rebel  troops,  after  the  disaster  which  befel  them 
at  Phlllippi,  took  up  a  position  on  Laurel  Hill,  a  few 
miles  north  of  Beverly,  and  proceeded  to  fortify 
it  with  great  labor  and  care.  This  point  com- 
manded the  road  which  led  to  the  southern  part 
of  the  State ;  and  from  it  they  had  so  repeatedly 
threatened  the  Federals  with  attack,  that  the  latter 
felt  eager  to  punish  them  for  their  audacity.  The 
Confederates  were  strongly  re-enforced  in  this  por- 
tion of  the  State,  and  General  Robert  S.  Garnett 


X 
LAUREL    HILL.  241 

had  been  placed  in  command.  Rich  Mountain,  an 
eminence  commanding  another  road  leading  to  Bev- 
erly, had  also  been  occupied  by  them,  and  placed  in  a 
state  of  defence. 

McClellan's  plan  of  operations  pointed  to  the  cap- 
ture or  destruction  of  the  enemy  at  these  two  places, 
and  as  the  positions  held  were  strong  ones,  the  at- 
tempt was  not  to  be  lightly  undertaken.  It  was  re- 
solved to  combine  with  a  direct  attack,  movements 
in  the  enemy's  rear,  for  which  the  country  afforded 
peculiar  facilities. 

Stretching  away  northeast  and  southwest  of 
Laurel  Hill,  lay  the  western  range  of  the  Alleghanies, 
impassable  without  great  difficulty  for  an  army,  and 
even  then  passable  only  at  certain  points.  At  the 
foot  of  the  hill  was  the  main  road,  which  gives 
access  to  Southern  Virginia  on  this  western  slope  of 
the  range.  By  this  route  alone  could  the  enemy 
receive  re-enforcements  or  supplies,  and  this  fact 
determined  the  scheme  of  operations — to  occupy  his 
attention  by  a  direct  attack  in  front,  while  another 
body  of  troops  should  pass  round  to  his  rear  and  cut 
off  communications  with  his  base — which  it  was  anti- 
cipated would  place  him  at  McClellan's  mercy.  The 
Union  army  would  thus  be  enabled  either  to  assail  the 
rebel  intrenchments  from  both  directions  at  once, 
with  an  overpowering  force,  or,  if  it  was  deemed 
advisable  to  avoid  a  direct  engagement,  compel  him 
to  surrender  from  starvation. 
11 


V 
242  VICTORIES   IN   WESTERN   VIRGINIA. 

McClellan  commenced  his  forward  movement  from 
Grafton  on  the  last  day  of  June.  The  advance  in 
the  direction  of  the  enemy  was  executed  by  the  two 
divisions  of  his  army.  The  main  body  of  ten  thousand 
men,  led  by  himself,  proceeded  by  way  of  Clarksburg 
and  Buckhannon,  to  the  west  of  the  enemy ;  whilst 
the  other  division,  four  thousand  strong,  made  the 
direct  attack,  for  the  purpose  of  holding  him  in 
check  on  the  north,  and  occupying  his  attention  while 
the  larger  force  was  enabled  to  get  in  the  rear. 

"  This  march,"  remarks  the  foreign  officer  from 
whom  we  have  already  quoted,  u  was  one  of  those 
fatiguing  operations,  which  such  a  country  as  Ameri- 
ca can  alone  offer  an  example  of.  Through  pathless 
woods,  over  high  hills,  through  streams  and  rivulets, 
the  soldiers  had  to  force  their  way.  Added  to  this, 
the  rain  never  ceased  to  pour  down.  Despite  all 
these  obstacles,  the  men  kept  on  without  murmur- 
ing ;  they  overcame  every  difficulty  with  a  facility 
which  entitled  them  to  an  honorable  comparison  with 
the  tried  soldiers  of  Europe.  McClellan  himself  was 
always  at  the  head  of  his  men,  to  whom  he  set  a 
good  example,  by  cheerfully  putting  up  with  every 
annoyance  and  privation." 

General  MClellan,  after  a  sharp  skirmish  at  Buck- 
hannon, reached  the  enemy's  position,  at  Rich  Moun- 
tain, on  the  night  of  July  1  Oth,  with  the  intention  of 
attacking  it  on  the  following  day.  He  found  the 
rebels  strongly  fortified,  and  defended  by  a  force  of 


* 

RICH   MOUNTAIN.  243 

some  two  or  three  thousand  men,  under  Colonel 
Pegram. 

General  Rosecrans  was  dispatched,  with  three 
thousand  men,  to  gain  the  summit  from  the  rear,  and 
assail  the  enemy  from  that  position  whilst  McClel- 
lan  approached  him  from  the  front.  By  this  means 
it  was  hoped  the  entire  rebel  force  would  be  cap- 
tured. A  dragoon,  carrying  dispatches  from  Mc- 
Clellan  to  Rosecrans,  on  the  morning  of  the  llth, 
however,  being  taken  by  the  enemy's  pickets,  en- 
abled Pegram  to  ascertain  the  nature  of  the  move- 
ments, and  gave  him  time  to  prepare  for  the  latter's 
assault. 

When  Rosecrans  ascended  the  mountain  at  the 
rear,  he  found  the  crest*  occupied  by  the  enemy  with 
artillery,  which  opened  upon  him,  but  he  had  no 
cannon  wherewith  to  reply.  The  rain  fell  in  tor- 
rents. The  Union  troops,  by  way  of  feint,  retreated 
a  short  distance,  and  hid  themselves  in  bushes  and 
behind  rocks.  The  enemy,  deceived  by  the  move- 
ment, followed,  but  sad  havoc  was  soon  made  in 
their  ranks  by  the  rifles  of  the  secreted  men.  The 
Indiana  Boys  were  ordered  to  "  fix  bayonets."  The 
rattle  of  the  metal  was  distinctly  heard  by  the  rest 
of  the  troops,  as  the  order  w,as  obeyed.  "Charge 
bayonets  !"  and  then  the  brave  fellows  madly  rushed 
after  the  foe.  One  man  alone  stood  his  ground 
and  fired  a  cannon,  until  a  bullet  from  a  revolver 
laid  him  by  the  side  of  his  gun.  The  Federal  troops 


244  VICTORIES    IN    WESTERN    VIRGINIA. 

were  soon  recalled  and  re-formed,  in  anticipation  of 
an  attack  from  the  rebels,  intrenched  at  the  foot  of 
the  mountain  ;  but  the  silencing  of  the  guns  on  the 
summit  led  them  to  the  conclusion  that  it  would  be 
useless  to  make  any  further  resistance. 

The  non-receipt  of  dispatches  from  Rosecrans  and 
the  want  of  any  indication  of  his  approach  upon  the 
enemy  compelled  McClellnn  to  lay  inactive,  during 
the  day.  Alarmed  as  to  the  fate  of  the  detachment, 
in  'order  to  relieve  it  he  determined  to  put  his  guns 
in  position  immediately  after  dawn  of  the  12th, 
shell  the  works,  and  attack  the  enemy.  However, 
just  as  the  guns  were  being  moved  into  position,  the 
pickets  gave  intelligence  that  the  rebels  had  decamp- 
ed during  the  night,  and  fled  over  the  mountains, 
leaving  their  wounded,  guns,  means  of  transporta- 
tion, ammunition,  tents,  and  baggage. 

It  was  not  until  the  morning  that  McClellan  learn- 
ed from  Rosecrans  the  particulars  of  his  proceed- 
ings. Leaving  the  latter's  command  to  take  rest  and 
protect  the  captured  property,  the  former  General 
pushed  on  without  a  moment's  delay  to  Beverly, 
with  the  remainder  of  the  forces. 

Pegram,  after  abandoning  his  works  at  Rich 
Mountain,  endeavored  to  join  Garnett  at  Laurel 
Hill,  but  was  prevented  by  the  position  of  the  Fed- 
erals ;  he  was  therefore  reduced  to  the  alternative 
of  starvation  or  surrender.  After  lying  in  the 
woods  for  a  day,  he  chose  the  latter  course,  and 


PEGRAM'S  SURRENDER.  246 

wrote  to  McClellan  stating  that  he  had  concluded  to 
surrender  in  consequence  of  the  retreat  of  General 
Garnett,  and  the  jaded  and  reduced  condition  of  his 
command,  the  greater  part  having  been  without  food 
for  two  days.  Thirty-three  officers  and  five  hundred 
and  sixty  men  were  thus  received.  The  remainder  of 
the  force  at  Rich  Mountain  had  escaped  singly, 
through  the  woods  and  over  the  ridges.  McClellan 
is  of  opinion,  that  "  had  Rosecrans  been  able  to  fol- 
low his  instructions,  and  move  direct  upon  Pegram, 
none  of  his  command  could  have  escaped." 

The  division  under  the  command  of  General  Mor- 
ris, which  left  Grafton  at  the  same  time  that  McClel- 
lan moved  with  the  division  under  his  own  immediate 
command,  marched  in  a  direct  line  through  Phillippi 
to  Laurel  Hill,  and  took  up  a  position  at  Bealington, 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  valley  to,  and  within  rifle- 
range  of  the  enemy's  intrenchments.  Notwithstand- 
ing repeated  attacks  and  skirmishes,  Morris  was  ena- 
bled to  successfully  fortify  and  hold  his  ground  until 
the  arrival  of  McClellan's  column. 

When  General  Garnett  learned  of  Pegram's  over- 
throw at  Rich  Mountain,  he  began  to  appreciate  the 
danger  of  his  position,  and  immediately  sought  safe- 
ty in  flight,  abandoning  his  intrenchments.  He 
moved  rapidly  southward  in  the  direction  of  Beverly, 
hoping  to  reach  that  place  before  the  National  troops, 
but  when  a  few  miles  distant,  was  informed  by  fugi- 
tives from  Pegram's  Corps  of  its  occupation  by  Me- 


246  VICTORIES    IN    WESTERN   VIRGINIA. 

Clellan.  Then  retracing  his  steps  for  a  short  distance 
he  turned  off  the  main  road  to  the  west,  and  pro- 
ceeded down  the  Cheat  River,  taking  a  northerly 
direction  in  anticipation  of  finding  some  practicable 
path  across  the  mountains  into  the  valley  of  Virginia. 
Superfluous  baggage  was  thrown  away  to  lighten 
the  burden  of  the  retreating  troops.  A  narrow  lane 
was  struck,  and  the  rebels,  as  they  sped  along  it,  filled 
the  defiles  with  felled  trees,  so  that  the  expected 
advance  of  the  Union  forces  might  be  impeded. 

It  was  during  the  darkness  of  the  night,  upon 
which  Pegram  evacuated  his  works  at  Rich  Moun- 
tain, that  Garnett  moved  his  troops  out  of  the  in- 
trenchments  at  Laurel  Hill.  The  flight,  however, 
was  not  discovered  by  Morris  until  the  following 
morning,  when  he  gave  orders  for  immediate  pur- 
suit, though  the  force  under  his  command  was  great- 
ly inferior  in  numbers  to  that  of  the  enemy.  Pro- 
ceeding as  far  as  Leedsville,  the  pursuers  there  dis- 
covered the  line  of  Garnett's  retreat;  it  was  plainly 
discernible  from  the  debris  he  had  left  in  his  trail. 
They  pushed  along  over  almost  impassable  mountain 
roads,  with  the  rain  pouring  in  torrents  from  above, 
and  the  mire  almost  knee  deep  below. 

Emerging  from  the  Laurel  Mountains,  the  Federal 
forces  neared  the  rebels  at  Kahler's  Ford  about  noon. 
The  boys  were  glad  to  plunge  into  the  river  as  the 
swift  flowing  waters  cleansed  them  of  the  heavy  mud 
with  which  they  were  plastered  as  high  as  the  waist. 


PURSUIT  OF  THE  REBELS.  247 

After  leaving  the  ford,  the  advance  came  in  sight 
of  the  rear  of  the  fugitive  army  at  a  ford  below,  with 
the  baggage  train  at  rest,  and  the  infantry  drawn 
up  to  protect  it.  A  foolish  boy  firing  his  musket, 
set  the  rebels  in  motion.  After  a  farther  pursuit  of 
three  or  four  miles,  the  train  was  again  overtaken 
half  across  the  stream,  at  a  point  where  Garnett 
made  a  vigorous  stand,  the  position  being  well 
adapted  to  repel  the  advance.  The  river  here  winds 
round  a  bluff  fifty  or  sixty  feet  high,  the  lower  por- 
tion densely  covered  with  laurel,  which  it  was  all  but 
impossible  to  penetrate.  The  Confederate  command- 
er planted  cannon  upon  the  top  of  this  bluff  to  cover 
the  ford,  and  drew  up  his  troops  in  line  on  either 
side  of  the  guns,  protected  by  a  fence  and  numerous 
trees. 

An  Indiana  regiment  crossed  the  stream  and  at- 
tempted to  scale  the  bluff  in  face  of  the  enemy's  fire. 
Captain  Benham,  of  the  Engineers,  on  coming  up, 
found  the  men  climbing  the  steep  ascent  almost  on 
their  faces,  and  doubtful  of  their  success,  ordered 
them  to  return  into  the  stream.  An  attempt  was 
next  made  to  reach  the  enemy  by  another  direction, 
but  from  the  difficulties  of  the  ground,  it  was  like- 
wise found  to  be  impracticable.  Captain  Benham 
then  ordered  the  regiment  to  pass  down  the  bed  of 
the  river  immediately  under  the  bluff,  to  a  point  on 
the  left,  where  they  could  gain  the  road.  The  men 
passed  along  the  entire  front  of  the  rebel  line, 


248  VICTORIES    IN   WESTERN    VIRGINIA. 

effectually  protected  by  the  steepness  of  the  bank 
from  both  fire  and  vision.  They  emerged,  without 
losing  a  man,  on  the  right  of  the  Confederates,  who, 
on  finding  themselves  flanked,  immediately  fled, 
leaving  one  of  their  guns,  and  a  number  of  killed 
and  wounded.  They  stampeded  through  a  wheat- 
field  to  Carrick's  Ford,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  distant, 
the  officers  vainly  endeavoring  to  rally  them. 

General  Garnett  was  the  last  to  cross  the  ford, 
which  he  did  on  foot.  He  then  stood  upon  the  river's 
bank,  waved  his  handkerchief,  and  urged  his  men 
to  return  and  dispute  the  passage  of  the  Federal 
troops.  Major  Gordon  of  the  United  States  army 
at  this  moment  appeared  upon  the  opposite  side  of 
the  stream,  and  detecting  the  enemy  huddled  in  the 
road,  called  the  advance  to  come  on.  Garnett 
directed  the  attention  of  his  panic-stricken  men  to 
the  Major,  who  was  standing  on  a  sycamore  stump. 
A  volley  of  bullets,  thick  as  hail,  instantly  fell  around 
him.  The  Major,  at  the  same  time,  espied  Garnett, 
and  pointing  him  out,  Sergeant  Burlingame  took  de- 
liberate aim  and  fired  at  him.  The  General  threw  up 
his  arms  and  fell  dead  upon  the  sand.  But  one  man 
had  exhibited  equal  courage  with  the  rebel  leader, 
and  he  was  shot  by  his  side.  The  advance  at  the 
same  time  poured  a  raking  fire  into  the  enemy,  who 
made  a  stand  of  some  ten  minutes,  during  which 
time,  the  conflict  was  severe  ;  then  they  took  to  their 
heels,  crowding  on  each  other  in  the  wildest  confu- 


A   BEAVE   FELLOW.  249 

sion.  The  Federals,  crossing  the  ford,  chased  the 
foe  for  a  couple  of  miles,  when,  from  absolute 
exhaustion,  they  were  compelled  to  give  up  the  pur- 
suit, and  bivouac  for  the  night. 

It  was  not  until  Major  Gordon  had  crossed  the 
ford  and  looked  upon  Garnett's  corpse,  that  he  was 
aware  of  the  rank  of  the  officer  who  had  been  killed. 
The  body,  and  the  property  found  upon  it,  were 
immediately  taken  charge  of,  to  be  handed  over  to 
his  friends.  The  brave  fellow  who  fell  by  his  side, 
and  proved  to  be  a  Georgian,  was  buried  on  a  hill, 
by  loyal  Virginian  troops.  At  the  head  of  his  grave 
was  placed  a  board  bearing  this  inscription : 

"Name  unknown.  A  brave  fellow  who  shared 
his  General's  fate,  and  fell,  fighting  by  his  side,  while 
his  companions  fled." 

Among  the  enemy's  wounded  was  a  Massachusetts 
boy.  He  had  been  visiting  in  the  South,  where  he 
was  impressed  into  the  rebel  ranks.  As  soon  as  the 
battle  began,  he  broke  from  the  line,  and  attempted 
to  run  down  the  hill  and  cross  over  to  the  Union 
side.  His  own  lieutenant,  on  witnessing  the  deser- 
tion, shot  him  with  a  revolver. 

Among  the  anecdotes  of  the  battle,  told  by  the 
soldiers,  was  one  of  a  Methodist  preacher  in  an  Indi- 
ana regiment,  who  was  noted  for  the  accuracy  of  his 
aim,  and  the  rapidity  of  his  fire.  During  the  battle 
he  was  particularly  conspicuous  for  zeal  in  the  per- 
formance of  his  duty.  The  boys  declared  that  after 
11* 


250  VICTORIES    IN    WESTERN    VIRGINIA. 

every  discharge  of  his  gun,  he  exclaimed  :  "  May 
the  Lord  have  mercy  on  your  soul !"  He  evidently 
thought  the  body  not  worth  praying  for,  after  the 
care  he  took  in  marking  his  man. 

When  the  action  was  over,  the  reserves  came  up, 
and  joined  the  advanced  forces  in  their  bivouac  on 
the  battle-field.  The  following  morning  it  was  con- 
sidered useless  to  pursue  the  enemy,  who  were  twelve 
hours  in  advance. 

A  forced  march  of  nearly  thirty  miles  in  less  than 
twenty-four  hours,  in  a  pitiless  storm,  over  the  worst 
of  roads,  and  with  scarcely  a  mouthful  of  food  for  the 
men — some  of  whom  were  thirty-six  hours  without 
nourishment — a  battle  fought,  a  baggage  train  and 
cannon  captured,  and  an  enemy  totally  routed,  are 
performances  not  often  included  in  one  day's  record 
of  an  army.  All  these,  however,  had  been  accom- 
plished in  that  space  of  time  by  the  gallant  soldiers 
of  whom  we  write. 

The  evening  on  which  the  battle  of  Car  rick's  Ford 
was  fought,  McClellan  dispatched  instructions  to  Graf- 
ton  for  a  detachment  of  troops  to  be  sent  to  intercept 
the  enemy  beyond  the  mountains,  but  although  Gen- 
eral Hill,  the  officer  in  charge,  started  on  the  mission, 
he  failed  to  follow  it  up  according  to  the  instructions 
he  had  received. 

Two  days  later,  General  McClellan  forwarded  his 
official  report  of  the  action  of  his  army  during  the 
few  previous  days,  from  Huttonsville,  some  miles 


THANKED    BY    CONGRESS.  251 

southwest  of  Beverly,  to  which  place  he  had  moved 
his  head-quarters.     In  this  report  he  remarks  : 

"We  have  completely  annihilated  the  enemy  in 
Western  Virginia.  .  .  .  Our  success  is  com- 
plete, and  I  firmly  believe  that  secession  is  killed  in 
this  section  of  the  country." 

McGlellan  was  correct.  Secession  has  not  since 
dared  to  rear  its  head  in  that  quarter.  Its  flame 
flickered  for  a  while  further  south  on  the  Kanawha ; 
when  it  was  extinguished,  Western  Virginia  was 
left  peacefully  to  pursue  her  own  course,  and  one  of 
the  first  acts  of  the  new  Legislature  was  to  pass  a 
vote  of  thanks  to  the  general  who  had  driven  the 
oppressor  from  her  soil.  A  like  vote  of  thanks  was 
also  awarded  by  the  Congress  of  the  United  States. 
The  General,  too,  in  his  turn,  did  not  forget  to  thank 
the  brave  men  who  had  enabled  him  to  attain  these 
victories. 

The  manner  in  which  McClellan  prosecuted  and 
completed  his  brief  but  brilliant  campaign  in  Wes- 
tern Virginia,  at  once  caused  his  star  to  rise  in  the 
ascendant,  and  led  people  and  the  press  to  praise  his 
military  genius  and  dashing  achievements.  The 
Louisville  Journal,  in  commenting  on  the  campaign, 
says:  "It  is  a  finished  piece  of  work.  It  stands 
before  us  perfect  and  entire,  wanting  nothing ;  like 
a  statue  or  picture  just  leaving  the  creative  hand 
of  the  artist,  and  embodying  his  whole  idea.  Mc- 
Clellan set  out  to  accomplish  a  certain  definite  object. 


252  VICTORIES   IN    WESTERN    VIRGINIA. 

With  that  precise  object  in  view,  he  gathers  his 
forces  and  plans  his  campaign.  Onward  he  moves, 
and  neither  wood,  mountain,  nor  stream  checks  his 
march.  He  presses  forward  from  skirmish  to  skir- 
mish, but  nothing  decoys  or  diverts  or  forces  him 
from  the  trail  of  the  enemy.  Outpost  after  outpost, 
camp  after  camp,  gives  way  ;  the  main  body  falls 
back,  and  is,  at  last,  put  to  an  ignominious  and  dis- 
graceful retreat.  He  remains  master  of  the  field,  and 
reports  that  he  has  accomplished  his  mission.  There 
is  something  extremely  satisfactory  in  contemplating 
what  might  be  called  a  piece  of  finished  military 
workmanship,  by  a  master  hand.  It  is  one  thing 
done.  It  is,  besides,  a  poetic  retribution,  for  it  com- 
memorates the  quarter  day  after  the  bombardment 
of  Sumter." 


CHAPTER  XV. 

ORGANIZING    AN   ARMY. 

Tho  disaster  at  Bull  Run — Who  is  to  blame  ? — McClellan  placed 
in  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac — Is  honored  by  his 
native  city. — Arrival  in  "Washington. — Commences  work  in 
earnest. — Opinions  of  McClellan,  North  and  South — Political 
interferences — Order  restored. — Stringent  discipline — Increas- 
ed command — Observance  of  the  Sabbath — Speech  to  the  Sol- 
diers— Picket  firing — Unheeded  advice — Munson's  Hill — 
Disaster  at  Ball's  Bluff— Scott  retires— McClellan  succeeds 
him — The  Army  organized — Interference  with  McClellan's 
operations — Council  of  Generals — McClellan's  plan  approved — 
Manassas  evacuated — McClellan  relieved  from  chief  command 
of  the  armies  of  the  Union. 

SUNDAY,  the  21st  of  July,  1861,  is  a  memorable 
day  in  the  annals  of  the  United  States.  On  it 
was  fought  and  lost  the  battle  of  Bull  Bun.  General 
Scott,  who  was  then  in  command  of  the  armies  of 
the  Union,  severely  condemned  himself  for  the  dis- 
aster. The  Administration  had  pertinaciously  pressed 
upon  him  the  necessity  of  making  an  advance. 
They  stated  that  the  people  were  loud  in  their  call 
for  a  forward  movement, — a  call  which  had  been 
fanned  into  one  of  frenzy  by  the  reiterated  demand 
of  "  On  to  Richmond,"  which  daily  appeared  in  the 
columns  of  a  partisan  journal.  "The  people  and  the 
press  must  be  obeyed,"  said  the  Administration. 
Scott,  who  knew  more  about  actual  warfare  than 


254  ORGANIZING   AN    ARMY. 

either  the  people,  the  press,  or  the  Administration, 
for  a  time  firmly  declined  to  give  his  consent.  In 
vain  did  he  point  out  that  the  troops  were  raw,  and 
that  the  army  was  not  then  thoroughly  organized. 
His  instructions,  however,  became  imperative,  and 
the  advance  was  made.  The  result  is  known. 

Monday  morning  was  a  tumultuous  one  in  Wash- 
ington. Fugitives  from  the  shattered  and  defeated 
army  had  been  pouring  into  the  city  all  night.  They 
had  taken  possession  of  the  hotels,  and  filled  the 
streets.  Men  from  nearly  every  regiment  and  from 
nearly  every  company,  which  had  on  the  previous 
morning  been  drawn  up  with  regularity  in  battle 
array,  were  there.  Even  some  of  the  enemy,  who 
had  been  separated  from  their  regiments  during  the 
battle,  were  sprinkled  in  the  motley  crowd.  "  Go  to 
your  regiment,  sir,"  said  an  ofiicer  of  the  provost- 
guard,  who  was  endeavoring  to  restore  order.  "I 
fear  that  would  be  difficult,"  replied  the  man  with  a 
smile,  "  I  belong  to  the Georgia." 

At  11  o'clock,  General  Scott,  the  President,  and 
several  members  of  the  cabinet  were  closeted  to- 
gether. The  meeting  was  a  solemn  one.  It  was 
felt  that  the  life  of  the  nation  depended  upon  the 
decision  which  should  then  be  made.  It  was  im- 
perative that  a  general  should  be  found  who  could 
restore  order  out  of  chaos,  who  could  accompany 
the  army  in  its  campaign,  and  who  could  lead  it  on 
to  victory.  It  was  impossible  that  the  hero  of  the 


SUMMONED   TO    WASHINGTON.  255 

two  last  wars  could,  from  his  advanced  years,  do 
more  than  give  advice  in  military  operations,  for 
which  his  great  experience  well  adapted  him.  Who 
should  be  the  man  ?  There  was  but  one  who  pos- 
sessed all  the  requisites  demanded  of  him.  That 
man  was  George  B.  McClellan,  and  the  President  de- 
cided upon  calling  him  to  his  aid. 

But  the  victories  which  General  McClellan  had 
achieved  in  Western  Virginia  had  at  once  pointed 
him  out  to  the  people  as  the  only  commander  capable 
of  unravelling  the  snarl  into  which  the  Administra- 
tion had  thrown  the  Army  of  the  Union.  Conse- 
quently when  it  became  publicly  known  that  he  had 
been  summoned  to  Washington,  new  hopes  were 
engendered  in  their  hearts,  and  they  soon  threw  off 
the  despondency  into  which  the  defeat  of  Bull  Run 
had  thrown  them. 

When  McClellan  received  the  summons,  he  was 
engaged  at  Beverly  preparing  for  a  campaign  in  the 
upper  Kanawha  Valley.  He  immediately  issued  an 
order  relinquishing  his  command  in  Western  Vir- 
ginia, and  according  to  instructions  handed  it  over 
to  General  Rosecrans.  Leaving  Beverly  on  Tuesday 
morning,  July  23d,  he  rode  on  horseback  forty-five 
miles  to  Grafton,  whence  he  proceeded  by  railroad 
to  Wheeling  and  Pittsburg.  On  his  arrival  at  the 
latter  place,  he  received  a  hearty  welcome  from  its 
citizens,  who  gave  vent  to  their  enthusiastic  feelings 
in  deafening  shouts,  and  fired  salutes  in  his  honor. 


256  ORGANIZING    AN    AEMT. 

Philadelphia,  the  place  of  his  birth,  gave  him  a 
hearty  greeting  as  he  passed  through.  A  vast  crowd 
met  and  cheered  him  most  lustily,  a  regiment  of 
soldiers  were  ready  to  act  as  a  guard  of  honor,  and 
the  Mayor  waited  to  welcome  and  escort  him.  The 
streets  were  gay  with  the  brightest  bunting,  and,  as 
he  passed  along,  the  fair  ladies  of  his  native  city 
showered  down  upon  him  floral  favors.  He  found 
himself  compelled  to  address  the  assembled  crowd, 
and  said : 

"  My  friends  and  old  townsmen  :  I  thank  you  for 
your  reception,  and  might  reply,  if  this  were  not 
a  time  for  action  and  not  for  speech.  Your  applause, 
as  I  take  it,  is  intended  for  my  brave  soldiers  in  Wes- 
tern Virginia.  I  am  going  to  fulfil  new  duties,  and 
I  trust  that  your  kindness  will  give  me  courage  and 
strength.  Good-bye." 

Immediately  on  arriving  at  Washington,  McClellan 
repaired  to  the  residence  of  General  Scott.  He  was 
dressed  in  a  dark  flannel  blouse,  bearing  no  mark  of 
distinction,  and  wore  high  boots.  A  military  cap  on 
his  head  and  a  sword  by  his  side,  alone  distinguished 
him  as  belonging  to  the  profession  of  arms. 

By  an  order  issued  July  25th,  Washington  and 
Northeastern  Virginia  were  constituted  a  geograph- 
ical division,  with  the  head-quarters  at  Washington, 
and  placed  under  his  command.  On  the  3d  of  Au- 
gust his  commission  as  a  major-general  in  the  regular 
army  was  confirmed  by  the  Senate. 


257 

General  McClellnn  confided  in  his  ability  to  restore 
order,  reorganize  the  army,  and  protect  the  Capital 
against  any  attack  the  victorious  enemy  might  be 
induced  to  make.  He  at  once  commenced  the  erec- 
tion of  fortifications ;  placed  the  regular  troops 
within  the  city,  they  being  the  most  likely  to  redeem 
it  from  the  disorder  into  which  it  had  been  thrown ; 
and  ordered  the  volunteers  to  take  up  a  position  on 
the  southern  bank  of  the  Potomac.  Unwearied  in 
his  exertions — generally  spending  sixjteen  hours  a 
day  in  the  saddle — he  was  ever  amongst  the  men, 
creating  confidence  by  his  presence,  and  cheering 
them  by  kind  and  encouraging  words. 

The  press  of  the  North  hailed  McClellan's  advent 
to  his  new  command  with  unbounded  satisfaction  ; 
and  the  people,  aware  of  the  energy  and  decision 
displayed  during  his  highly  successful  career  in 
Western  Virginia,  felt  satisfied  that,  of  all  the  sol- 
diers of  the  Union,  he  was  the  best  adapted  for  the 
situation. 

The  Southern  journals  looked  upon  his  appoint- 
ment with  mingled  pleasure  and  fear ;  pleasure,  that 
their  experienced  generals  would  realize  from  him 

"  The  stern  joy  which  warriors  feel 
In  foemen  worthy  of  their  steel," 

— fear,  that  his  unceasing  vigilance  might  some  day 
discover  their  men  unprepared  to  ward  off  some  well- 
directed  blow.  A  leading  secession  sheet  at  the  time 


258  ORGANIZING    AN    ARMY. 

spoke  of  him  as  "  one  whom  it  will  really  be  a  great 
honor  to  defeat,"  and  further  stated  :  "  In  the  pres- 
ence of  an  officer  so  thoroughly  a  soldier  as  McClel- 
lan,  it  will  not  do  for  our  gallant  boys  to  sleep  or  be 
negligent  on  out-post  duty  in  contempt  of  their  foe." 
And,  at  a  later  date,  a  Southern  writer  remarked : 
"  By  prudence  and  determination  he  soon  succeeded 
in  again  forming  an  army  which,  by  its  extent  and 
efficiency,  created  considerable  alarm  in  the  South. 
But  the  enemy  they  had  most  cause  to  fear  was  Gen- 
eral McClellan  himself,  the  ablest  and  best  officer  of 
the  Union,  whose  military  qualities  commanded  the 
respect  of  his  opponents" 

The  political  element  which,  by  its  infusion  into 
the  management  of  the  war,  has  led  to  such  disas- 
trous results,  began  to  exhibit  itself  immediately 
upon  McClellan's  arrival  in  Washington.  The  Ad- 
ministration was  pressed  by  leading  politicians  to 
appoint  their  personal  friends  to  prominent  positions 
in  his  Division,  in  contravention  to  the  understanding 
that  the  General  should,  not  be  interfered  with  in 
the  selection  of  his  subordinates.  The  Administra- 
tion, at  any  rate,  then  did  not  consider  it  advisable 
to  fetter  the  new  commander,  nor  to  cause  a  dissen- 
sion which  might  lead  to  his  retirement. 

A  week  after  McClellan  entered  Washington,  the 
aspect  of  the  city  was  greatly  changed.  Order 
reigned  where  riot  had  been  rampant.  He  did  not 
rest  satisfied  with  only  issuing  stringent  disciplinary 


HOW    OKBEKS    WEliE    OBEYED.  219 

regulations,  but  was  determined  they  should  be 
adhered  to.  Here  is  an  illustration  of  the  thorough 
manner  in  which  his  orders  were  executed  and 
obeyed : 

"  One  of  the  provost-guard,  a  dragoon,  spies  an 
officer  riding  down  the  avenue  in  an  omnibus.  He 
calls  a  halt  of  the  vehicle,  and  says : 

"  Sir,  I  should  like  to  see  your  pass. 

"  Officer — I  haven't  any. 

"  Dragoon — Then  you  will  consider  yourself  under 
arrest. 

"Offi^r — I  am  a  gentleman,  and  I  give  you  my 
word  I  will  immediately  return  to  my  quarters. 

"  Dragoon — And  I  give  you  my  word  that  I  will 
see  that  you  return  to  your  quarters." 

A  witness  of  the  scene,  immediately  after  related 
the  circumstance  to  several  officers  he  found  leisurely 
smoking  and  drinking  in  a  saloon.  The  moment  he 
reached  the  gist  of  his  story,  the  audience  uncere- 
moniously departed. 

McClellan  not  only  enforced  military  regulations  in 
Washington  with  a  vigor  unknown  there  before,  but 
struck  unsparingly  at  every  abuse  he  found  in  the 
army  under  his  control.  He  soon  brought  every 
man,  whether  officer  or  soldier,  strictly  up  to  the 
mark  of  duty,  and  diffused  into  every  department 
of  the  service,  a  morale  hitherto  unexperienced.  He 
stripped  his  men  of  the  loose  habits  of  civil  life, 
to  which  they  had  been  so  long  a.ccustomed,  and 


260  ORGANIZING    ANT    ARMY. 

rendered  them  amenable  to  the  necessary  laws  of 
discipline. 

On  the  20th  of  August,  he  assumed  command  of 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  which,  in  addition  to  his 
former  department,  brought  under  his  control  the 
valley  of  the  Shenandoah,  and  the  States  of  Maryland 
and  Delaware. 

General  McClellan  was  desirous  that  the  Sabbath 
should  be  duly  respected  in  his  army,  and  therefore 
issued  the  following: 

"  The  Major-General  commanding  desires  and  re- 
quests that  in  future  there  may  be  a  more  perfect 
respect  for  the  Sabbath  on  the  part  of  his  command. 
We  are  fighting  in  a  holy  cause,  and  should  endeavor 
to  deserve  the  benign  favor  of  the  Creator.  Unless 
in  the  case  of  attack  by  the  enemy,  or  some  other 
extreme  military  necessity,  it  is  commended  to  com- 
manding officers  that  all  work  shall  be  suspended  on 
the  Sabbath ;  that  no  unnecessary  movements  shall 
be  made  on  that  day ;  that  the  men  shall,  as  far  as 
possible,  be  permitted  to  rest  from  their  labors ; 
that  they  shall  attend  Divine  service  after  the  custom- 
ary Sunday  morning  inspections,  and  that  officers 
and  men  alike  use  their  influence  to  insure  the  utmost 
decorum  and  quiet  on  that  day.  The  General  com- 
manding regards  this  as  no  idle  form.  One  day's 
rest  in  seven  is  necessary  for  men  and  animals.  More 
than  this,  the  observance  of  the  holy  day  of  the  God 
of  mercy  and  of  Jbattles  is  our  sacred  duty." 


SPEECH    TO    THE    SOLDIERS.  261 

On  the  10th  of  September,  the  President,  the  Sec- 
retary of  War,  and  Governor  Curtin,  in  company 
with  General  McClellan,  visited  the  Pennsylvania 
regiments.  One  of  the  men,  addressing  the  com- 
mander, said  : 

"  General,  we  are  anxious  to  wipe  out  Bull  Run  ; 
hope  you  will  allow  us  to  do  it  soon." 

"  Very  soon,  if  the  enemy  does  not  run,"  was  the 
prompt  response. 

On  this  occasion,  McClellan  briefly  addressed  his 
soldiers,  and  made  his  first  speech  to  them.  He 
said: 

"  SOLDIERS  :  We  have  had  our  last  retreat — we 
have  seen  our  last  defeat.  You  stand  by  me  and  I 
will  stand  by  you,  and  henceforth  victory  will  crown 
our  efforts." 

When  these  words  were  uttered,  he  naturally  ex- 
pected that  the  Administration,  as  well  as  his  sol- 
diers, would  stand  by  him.  Alas !  how  vain  are 
human  speculations.  The  General  was  called  upon 
to  do  a  giant's  work,  but  when  the  time  of  action 
came,  he  found  the  promised  aid,  on  which  he  had 
relied  for  strength  and  for  success,  withheld. 

Shortly  after  taking  command,  McClellan  informed 
the  Government  of  the  number  of  troops  he  would 
require  for  a  successful  invasion  of  the  South  and  a 
vigorous  prosecution  of  the  war.  October  came  and 
they  were  not  forthcoming.  He  advised  "  unity  in 
councils,"  and  stated  that  the  utmost  vigor  and  ener- 


202  ORGANIZING    AX    ARMY. 

gy  in  action  were  indispensable.  He  considered  that 
"the  entire  military  field  should  be  grasped  as  a 
whole," — that  the  armies  should  be  concentrated  for 
the  purpose  of  "  striking  the  rebellion  at  the  heart," 
and  not  frittered  away,  in  small  expeditions,  to  unim- 
portant places.  If  his  advice  had  been  heeded,  many 
who  are  now  lying  buried  in  Southern  soil  might 
be  busily  employed  tilling  Northern  lands. 

Contrary  to  the  rules  of  civilized  warfare,  the  pickets 
of  the  opposing  armies,  from  the  commencement  of 
the  war,  had  been  accustomed  to  fire  on  each  other. 
McClellan  determined  to  put  a  stop  to  this  inhuman 
practice,  and  issued  an  order,  directing  that  his  sol- 
diers should  not  fire  on  the  pickets  of  the  enemy, 
unless  in  sell-defence,  and  directed  his  officers  to 
arrest  any  man  who  should  violate  the  order. 

Munson's  Hill,  on  the  south  of  the  Potomac,  nearly 
opposite  Washington,  was  occupied  by  the  rebels, 
shortly  after  the  battle  of  Bull  Run,  and  the  seces- 
sion flag,  which  floated  from  its  crest,  plainly  vis- 
ible from  the  Executive  Mansion,  bidding  defiance 
to  the  soldiers  of  the  Union.  When  McClellan  com- 
menced to  get  his  army  into  a  state  of  comparative 
discipline  and  preparation  for  offensive  work,  the 
Confederates  began  to  find  their  positi6n  untenable, 
and  evacuated  it  on  the  28th  of  September,  falling 
back  towards  their  defences  at  Manassas. 

On  the  21st  of  October,  a  sad  disaster  occurred 
to  the  Union  forces, -at  Ball's  Bluff,  on  the  upper 


2C3 

Potomac.  McClellan  ordered  a  movement  to  be 
made  by  General  Stone,  in  the  nature  of  a  slig-ht 
demonstration,  not  unlikely  to  lead  to  the  abandon- 
ment of  Leesburg  by  the  rebels.  It  was  to  be  co- 
temporaneous  with  reconnoissances  in  other  quarters. 
That  officer  exceeded  his  instructions,  and  crossed  the 
river  with  a  considerable  force.  A  detachment,  un- 
der Colonel  Baker,  was  suddenly  attacked  by  an 
overwhelming  number  of  rebels,  and  driven  back  to 
the  Potomac,  where,  from  want  of  adequate  means  of 
transport,  many  perished  in  attempting  to  swim 
the  stream,  whilst  others  were  either  captured  or 
slaughtered  on  the  bank.  Colonel  Baker  was  killed 
in  the  encounter.  McClellan  hurried  to  the  place, 
on  the  following  day,  and  having  recourse  to  strate- 
gy, succeeded  in  passing  the  remainder  of  the  troops 
and  guns  in  safety  to  the  Maryland  shore.  A  few 
days  afterwards,  he  received  information  to  the  effect 
that  large  bodies  of  the  enemy  had  been  ordered 
from  Manassas  to  Leesburg,  to  cut  off  the  Union 
troops  on  the  Virginia  side.  Their  timely  with- 
drawal had  probably  prevented  a  more  serious  dis- 
aster. 

Increasing  infirmities  rendering  it  necessary  that 
General  Scott  should  seek  relief  from  active  duties, 
that  officer,  on  the  last  day  of  October,  desired  to  be 
placed  on  the  retired  list,  a  request  which,  under  the 
circumstances,  the  Administration  could  not  decline. 
By  the  unanimous  decision  of  the  Cabinet,  and  at  the 


264  ORGANIZING    AN    AKMY. 

recommendation  of  General  Scott,  the  command  of 
the  Union  armies  was,  on  the  following  day,  intrusted 
to  General  McClellan.  In  his  Order,  assuming  the 
command,  he  paid  the  following  handsome  tribute  to 
his  predecessor : 

"The  army  will  unite  with  me  in  the  feeling  of  re- 
gret that  the  weight  of  many  years  and  the  effect  of 
increasing  infirmities,  contracted  and  intensified  in 
his  country's  service,  should  just  now  remove  from 
our  head  the  great  soldier  of  our  nation,  the  hero 
who  in  his  youth  raised  high  the  reputation  of  his 
country  in  the  fields  of  Canada,  which  he  sanctified 
with  his  blood  ;  who  in  more  mature  years  proved  to 
the  world  that  American  skill  and  valor  could  repeat, 
if  not  eclipse,  the  exploits  of  Cortez  in  the  land  of 
the  Montezumas  ;  whose  life  has  been  devoted  to  the 
service  of  his  country,  whose  whole  efforts  have  been 
directed  to  uphold  our  honor  at  the  smallest  sacrifice 
of  life ;  a  warrior  who  scorned  the  selfish  glories  of 
the  battle-field  when  his  great  qualities  as  a  states- 
man could  be  employed  more  profitably  for  his  coun- 
try ;  a  citizen  who,  in  his  declining  years,  has  given 
to  the  world  the  most  shining  instance  of  loyalty  in 
disregarding  all  ties  of  birth  and  clinging  still  to  the 
cause  of  truth  and  honor.  Such  has  been  the  career 
and  character  of  Winfield  Scott,  whom  it  has  long 
been  the  delight  of  the  nation  to  honor,  both  as  a 
man  and  as  a  soldier.  While  we  regret  Ins  loss,  there 
is  one  thing  we  cannot  regret — the  bright  example 


GENERAL-IX-CHIEF.  205 

he  has  left  for  our  emulation.  Let  us  all  hope  and 
pray  that  his  declining  years  may  be  passed  in  peace 
and  happiness,  and  that  they  may  be  cheered  by  the 
success  of  the  country  and  'the  cause  he  has  fought 
for  and  loved  so  well.  Beyond  all  that,  let  us  do 
nothing  that  can  cause  him  to  blush  for  us.  Let  no 
defeat  of  the  army  he  has  so  long  commanded  embit- 
ter his  last  years  ;  but  let  our  victories  illuminate  the 
close  of  a  life  so  grand." 

General  McClellan's  labors  were  considerably  in- 
creased by  his  new  position,  as  the  entire  direction 
of  all  the  armies  of  the  Union  now  devolved  upon 
him.  He  had  to  consider  every  rebel  fort,  fortress, 
and  line  of  defence  in  all  the  seceded  and  in  many  of 
the  loyal  States,  and  to  prepare  measures  of  attack 
and  defense  along  a  line  extending  several  thousand 
miles. 

But  though  placed  in  command  of  the  forces  of  the 
United  States,  the  army  of  the  Potomac  still  re- 
mained under  his  special  charge.  The  military  mob 
he  had  found  on  reaching  Washington,  and  the  raw 
recruits  that  had  increased  the  numbers,  were  by 
this  time  converted  into  a  real  army,  with  the 
various  branches  of  the  service  properly  organized, 
and  brigades  and  divisions  formed. 

McClellan  remarks  in  his  Report,  that  during  the 

period  occupied  in  its  organization,  the  Army  of  the 

Potomac  "  served  as  a  barrier  against  the  advance 

of  a  lately  victorious  enemy,  while  the  fortification 

12 


266  ORGANIZING    AN    AEMY. 

of  the  Capital  was  in  progress,  and  under  the  disci- 
pline which  it  then  received,  it  acquired  strength, 
education,  and  some  of  that  experience  which  is 
necessary  to  success  in  a'ctive  operations,  and  which 
enabled  it  afterward  to  sustain  itself  under  circum- 
stances trying  to  the  most  heroic  men."  At  this 
time,  frequent  'skirmishes  occurred  along  the  lines, 
conducted  with  great  gallantry,  which  inured  the 
troops  to  the  realities  of  war." 

The  winter  drew  nigh,  and  as  the  roads  in  Virginia 
are  all  but  impassable  at  that  season  of  the  year,  it 
was  futile  to  attempt  any  forward  movement.  The 
delays  that  occurred  in  obtaining  arms,  also  impeded 
military  operations;  this  was  no  less  trying  to  the 
people  than  to  the  soldiers.  In  addition,  the  Gen- 
eral-in-Chief was  unfortunately  laid  on  the  bed  of 
sickness,  and  totally  unable  to  attend  to  the  duties  of 
his  high  office. 

Upon  recovering  from  his  severe  illness,  McClellan 
found  that  the  machinations  of  politicians  had  been 
at  work  ;  and  men,  who  from  their  continual  handling 
of  the  goose-quill,  had  become  somewhat  imbued 
with  the  nature  of  that  aquatic  bird,  had  been  point- 
ing out  how  battles  might  be  fought  and  won — on 
paper.  From  this  time  the  interference  of  the  Presi- 
dent with  his  plans  crippled  his  movements  and  pre- 
vented the  realization  of  long  cherished  hopes. 

In  the  middle  of  January,  a  change  was  made 
in  the  head  of  the  War  Department,  and  the  po- 


POLITICAL    INTERFERENCES.  267 

sition  given  to  a  lawyer,  who  omitted  to  remember 
that  the  wrangling  to  which  he  had  been  accustomed 
in  courts  of  justice,  was,  when  introduced  into  his 
new  vocation,  detrimental  to  the  successful  prosecu- 
tion of  a  war. 

It  is  an  acknowledged  axiom,  that  "  nothing  is  more 
important  in  war  than  undivided  command."  When 
we  state  that  upon  McClellan  laying  before  the  Ad- 
ministration his  proposed  plan  of  the  campaign,  the 
President  had  a  plan  of  his  own  which  he  decided 
should  be  carried  out,  and  immediately  issued  "  War 
Orders"  without  the  cognizance  of  the  commanding 
General,  it  is  evident  that  Mr.  Lincoln  knew  nothing 
of  this  axiom,  and  it  cannot  be  wondered  that  de- 
feats were  suffered  where  successes  might  have  been 
obtained.  The  President  eventually  assented  to 
McClellan's  plan  being  laid  before  a  council  of 
twelve  general  officers.  Seven  voted  in  favor  of  it, 
four  against  it,  and  one  in  favor,  subject  to  a  con- 
tingency. This  was  late  in  February.  The  Presi- 
dent, although  compelled  to  bow  to  the  decision  of 
the  military  tribunal,  early  in  March,  directed  that 
the  army  of  the  Potomac  in  Eastern  Virginia,  should 
be  organized  into  four  corps,  one  of  which  should  be 
commanded  by  the  general  who  was  in  favor  of  Mc- 
Clellan's plan  with  a  contingency,  and  the  other  three 
by  generals  directly  opposed  to  it !  thus  adopting  the 
best  possible  means  within  his  power,  of  strangling 
the  General's  military  operations  in  their  infancy. 


268  ORGANIZING    AN   ARMY. 

No  sooner  did  the  rebels  learn  that  McClellan's 
plan  was  to  be  put  into  practice,  than  they  imme- 
diately evacuated  their  works  at  Manassas,  and  fled 
from  the  vicinity  of  the  National  Capital,  to  protect 
the  Confederate  seat  of  Government — thus  fulfilling 
a  prediction  of  the  Federal  Commander.  The  "mas- 
terly inactivity"  in  front  of  Manassas  had  been  a 
source  of  no  little  discomfort  to  the  rebels.  The 
Richmond  Examiner,  the  previous  "January,  in  al- 
luding to  the  position  of  the  rival  armies,  remarked: 
"  Generals  Johnston  arid  Beauregard  are  held  by 
General  McClellan  as  in  a  vise." 

An  order  issued  by  the  President,  on  March  llth, 
announced  that  "Major-General  McClellan  having 
personally  taken  the  field  at  the  head  of  the  army  of 
the  Potomac,  until  otherwise  ordered,  he  is  relieved 
from- the  command  of  the  other  military  departments, 
he  retaining  command  of  the  Department  of  the 
Potomac."  Mr.  Lincoln  then  assumed  the  active 
duties  of  Commander-in-Chief,  for  the  due  perfor- 
mance of  which,  it  must  be  admitted,  he  lacked  the 
necessary  qualifications. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

THE    PEXIXSULAK    CAMPAIGN. 

Eival  plans  —  Operations  on  the  Potomac  —  Address  to  the  troops 
—  Forward  movement  —  Reduction  of  command  —  Before  York- 
town  —  The  place  evacuated  —  Williamsburg  —  McClellan  on 
the  battle-field  —  The  rebels  continue  their  retreat  —  McClellan 
thanked  by  the  House  of  Representatives  —  Re-enforcements 
required  —  McClellan's  prescience  —  Hanover  Court-House— 
Fair  Oaks  —  McClellan's  daring  —  Second  day's  battle  —  Storm 
before  the  conflict  —  Southern  opinion  —  Address  to  the  troops. 


plan  of  the  campaign  proposed  by  General 
-*-  McClellan  was  a  movement  upon  Richmond  from 
Fortress  Monroe,  at  the  eastern  end  of  the  Peninsula. 
The  advantage  of  this  plan  lay  in  the  use  that  could 
be  made  of  water-carriage  for  the  supplies  of  the 
army,  and,  with  the  single  exception  of  the  Chicka- 
hominy,  in  the  absence  of  any  important  rivers  to  ob- 
struct the  progress  of  the  troops,  "  My  plan,"  as  Mr. 
Lincoln's  hits  been  termed,  was  to  move  in  a  direct 
line  from  Washington  to  Richmond,  upon  which 
route  nearly  a  dozen  broad  streams  would  have  to  be 
crossed. 

Although,  after  much  difficulty,  McClellan  was  per- 
mitted to  enter  upon  his  scheme,  he  was  unable  to 
carry  it  to  a  successful  issue,  owing  to  his  path  being 
beset  with  difficulties  beyond  those  nature  could 
have  thrown  in  his  way.  The  appointment  of  corps 


270  THE   PENIXSULAB    CAMPAIGN. 

commanders  antagonistic  to  his  movement  was  the 
first  obstacle  which  presented  itself, — of  the  rest  we 
shall  learn  in  due  course. 

In  the  month  previous  to  the  decision  of  the  gen- 
erals, which  compelled  the  President  to  allow  Mc- 
Clellan  to  carry  his  plan  into  operation,  the  latter  was 
instructed  by  the  War  Department  to  clear  the  Ohio 
and  Baltimore  Railroad  of  the  presence  of  the  enemy, 
and  the  southern  bank  of  the  Potomac  of  his  bat- 
teries. As  the  national  army  was  then  fully  prepared 
to  carry  the  first  into  effect,  McClellau  went  in  per- 
son to  the  upper  Potomac  and  succeeded  in  reopen- 
ing the  railroad  for  the  use  of  the  Federals.  The 
batteries  which  disputed  the  passage  of  the  lower 
Potomac,  he,  however,  considered  would  be  speedily 
removed  when  proceedings  commenced  on  the  Penin- 
sula— the  result  proved  the  correctness  of  his  an- 
ticipations. The  enemy,  on  retiring  from  the  vicini- 
ty of  Washington,  fell  back  to  the  Rappahannock, 
and  prepared  to  dispute  any  advance  of  the  Federal 
forces;  here,  doubtless,  if  the  Presidents  plan. had 
been  adopted,  a  bloody  encounter  would  have  taken 
place. 

The  operations  on  the  Peninsula  were,  by  order 
of  the  President,  confined  to  two  army  corps — about 
fifty  thousand  men — until  the  rebel  batteries  should 
be  removed  from  the  margin  of  the  lower  Potomac, 
At  a  council  composed  of  the  corps  commanders 
appointed  by  the  President,  it  was  agreed  that  Fort- 


ADDRESS   TO    THE    ARMY.  271 

ress  Monroe  should  be  the  base  of  operations,  and 
unanimously  regarded  as  necessary  that  the  entire 
four  corps  should  be  employed,  with  at  least  ten 
thousand  men  drawn  from  the  forces  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  fortress. 

There  was  still  much  difficulty  in  obtaining  arms, 
and  notwithstanding  the  utmost  exertions  of  the  mili- 
tary authorities,  some  of  the  finest  regiments  re- 
quired for  the  campaign  remained  without  rifles. 

When  the  troops  were  busily  preparing  to  enter 
upon  their  campaign  McClellan  issued  an  address, 
dated  March  14th,  in  which  he  told  them  their  inac- 
tion had  been  necessary  to  allow  time  for  equipping 
and  instructing  them,  and  that  other  armies  had  had  to 
move  and  accomplish  important  results,  in  order  that 
they  might  the  better  give  the  death-blow  to  the 
rebellion.  He  felt  satisfied  that  he  could  trust  in 
them  to  save  the  country.  The  Army  of  the  Po- 
tomac was  now  a  "real  army."  He  further  informed 
them : 

"The  period  of  inaction  has  passed.  I  will  bring 
you  now  face  to  face  with  the  rebels,  and  only  pray 
that  God  may  defend  the  right.  In  whatever  direc- 
tion you  may  move,  however  strange  my  actions 
may  appear  to  you,  ever  bear  in  mind  that  my  fate 
is  linked  with  yours,  and  that  all  I  do  is  to  bring 
you,  where  I  know  you  wish 'to  be — on  the  decisive 
battle-field.  It  is  my  business  to  place  you  there.  I 
am  to  watch  over  you  as  a  parent  over  his  children  ; 


272  THE   PENINSULAR    CAMPAIGN. 

and  you  know  that  your  General  loves  you  from  the 
depths  of  his  heart.  It  shall  be  my  care,  as  it  has 
ever  been,  to  gain  success  with  the  least  possible 
loss;  but  I  know  that,  if  it  is  necessary,  you  will 
willingly  follow  me  to  our  graves,  for  our  righteous 
cause.  God  smiles  upon  us,  victory  attends  us,  yet 
I  would  not  have  you  think  that  our  aim  is  to  be  at- 
tained without  a  manly  struggle.  I  will  not  disguise  it 
from  you;  you  have  brave  foes  to  encounter,  foemen 
well  worthy  of  the  steel  that  you  will  use  so  well.  I 
shall  demand  of  you  great,  heroic  exertions,  rapid 
and  long  marches,  desperate  combats,  privations 
perhaps.  We  will  share  all  these  together ;  and 
when  this  sad  war  is  over,  we  will  return  to  our 
homes,  and  feel  that  we  can  ask  no  higher  honor 
than  the  proud  consciousness  that  we  belonged  to 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac." 

At  the  beginning  of  April,  the  forces  destined  for 
the  proposed  movement  upon  Richmond  were  col- 
lected in  the  vicinity  of  Fortress  Monroe,  and  on  the 
2d  of  the  month,  General  McClellan  arrived  at  that 
point,  and  immediately  prepared  for  the  forward 
march.  Two  days  later,  the  columns  were  put  into 
motion,  when  the  march  was  found  to  be  very  diffi- 
cult, in  consequence  of  the^  state  of  the  roads,  and  the 
swampy  nature  of  the  ground.  The  main  body  of 
the  army  rested  for  the  night  at  Howard's  Creek, 
and  at  10  o'clock  on  the  folio  wing  morning,  Satur- 
day, April  5th,  arrived  before  Yorktown. 


WITHDRAWAL   OF   TROOPS.  273 

Simultaneous  with  meeting  the  rebels  face  to  face, 
McClellan  began  to  feel  the  full  strength  of  the  ene- 
my left  behind  at  Washington.     During  the  night, 
whilst  taking  his  rest  in  his  tent,  he  was  informed 
by  a  telegram,  that  McDowell's  corps  was  removed 
from  his  command.     "  What  does  this  mean  ?"  he 
exclaimed  in  surprise.     The  moment  was  a  trying  one. 
He  had  intended  that  whilst  he  engaged  the  Confed- 
erates before  Yorktown,  McDowell   should   march 
overland,  via  West  Point,  to  the  rear;   by  which 
stratagem    he  had   hoped   to    annihilate   the  rebel 
army.     Four  days  previous,  Blenker's  division  of  ten 
thousand  men  had  been  withdrawn  from  his  com- 
mand, and  the  control  of  the  troops  at  Fortress  Mon- 
roe taken  from  him.     When  McClellan,  in  an  inter- 
view with  the  President,  remonstrated  at  this,  he  was 
assured  that  no  further  deductions  should  be  made  from 
the  force-  upon  which  his  operations  had  been  planned. 
With  such  an  assurance,  well  may  he  express  himself 
as  having  been  "  shocked"  at  the  act  of  duplicity 
which  removed  from  his  control  nearly  fifty  thousand 
additional  soldiers.     These  withdrawals  reduced  his 
force  "more  than  one-third,  after  its  task  had  been 
assigned,  its    operations   planned,   and   its    fighting 
begun."      McClellan  says :  "  To  me,  the  blow  was 
most  discouraging.     It  frustrated  all  my  plans  for 
impending  operations.     It  fell  when  I  was  too  deeply 
committed  to  withdraw.     It  left  me  incapable  of  con- 
tinuing operations  which  had  been  begun.     It  com- 
12* 


274  THE    PENINSULAR    CAMPAIGN. 

pelled  the  adoption  of  another,  a  different,  and  a  less 
effective  plan  of  campaign.  It  made  rapid  and  bril- 
liant operations  impossible.  It  was  a  fatal  error." 

The  special  correspondent  of  the  Philadelphia 
Press  remarks  in  his  narrative  of  the  campaign  : 
"  Had  General  McClellan's  order  been  obeyed  when 
he  directed  General  McDowell  to  proceed  to  West 
Point,  while  he  attacked  the  enemy  in  the  front  at 
Torktown,  there  would  have  been  no  siege  of  Rich- 
mond; for  the  enemy,  with  McClellan  in  his  front,  and 
McDowell,  forty  thousand  strong,  in  his  rear,  would 
have  rendered  Yorktown  again  famous,  by  a  second 
capitulation,  rejoicing  all  loyal  people,  and  virtually 
ending  a  second  war." 

McClellan  had  now  no  choice  left  but  to  attack 
Yorktown  directly  in  front,  as  he  best  could,  with 
the  troops  under  his  command.  The  entire  of  these 
amounted  to  eighty-five  thousand  men,  only  fifty- 
three  thousand  of  which  had  joined  him  on  the  8th 
of  the  month. 

The  Confederates  had  been  as  well  aware  as  Mc- 
Clellan, that  the  road  through  the  Peninsula  was  the 
most  feasible  for  a  successful  attack  upon  their  cap- 
ital, and  twelve  months  before  had  thoroughly  appre- 
ciated the  necessity  of  guarding  it.  Yorktown  was 
not  only  found  to  be  well  protected  by  earth-works, 
but  a  line  of  fortifications,  some  miles  in  length,  at 
this  point  extended  across  the  Peninsula,  from  the 
York  River  to  the  James.  No  sooner,  too,  had  the 


DIFFICULTIES    ENCOUNTERED.  275 

rebels  discovered  the  transportation  of  the  Federal 
forces  to  that  quarter,  than  they  drew  troops  from 
various  places,  to  re-enforce  Magruder,  their  com- 
mander at  Yorktown ;  so  that  by  the  Monday  morn- 
ing immediately  following  McClellan's  arrival,  not 
less  than  one  hundred  thousand  men  were  prepared 
to  give  him  a  hostile  reception. 

The  Union  army  at  once  commenced  siege  opera- 
tions. "  McClellan's  position,"  says  the  author  of 
Battle  Fields  of  the  South,  "  was  certainly  an  unen- 
viable one,  but  such  was  his  popularity  with  the  men, 
that  they  performed  immense  labors,  with  axe  and 
spade,  at  his  bidding,  and  seldom  grumbled.  .  .  . 
As  no  roads,  except  a  few  ordinary  ones,  existed  from 
Yorktown  to  any  point  of  his  lines,  flanks,  or  rear,  it 
was  necessary  to  fell  the  forests,  and  make  them.  Re- 
giments were  thus  engaged  for  weeks  cutting  avenues 
of  communication,  while  thousands  plied  the  axe  and 
covered  the  dirt  with  layers  of  logs,  the  interstices  of 
which  were  then  filled  with  branches,  and  all  covered 
with  a  thick  coating  of  tenacious,  marly  soil.  In 
dry  weather,  and  for  the  use  of  light  teams,  these 
'  corduroy'  roads  might  well  serve  ;  but  as  this  was 
the  month  of  April,  the  logs  sank  lower  and  lower, 
so  that  heavy  wagons,  and  teams  dragging  siege- 
pieces  and  mortars,  moved  but  slowly,  and  the -vari- 
ous routes  were  blocked  up  by  division  quartermas- 
ters and  commissaries  endeavoring  to  transport  ne- 
cessary provision  to  the  front."  Many  of  these  diffi- 


276         THE  PENINSULAR  CAMPAIGN. 

culties  would  have  been  obviated  if  the  movement 
of  the  army  had  been  delayed  until  the  following 
month,  but  the  Administration  forced  it  into  action 
before  the  swampy  lands  were  sufficiently  dried. 

A  balloon  was  used  with  great  advantage  in 
making  reconnoissances,  and  McClellan  made  daily 
ascents  for  the  purpose  of  taking  observations,  often 
remaining  up  several  hours,  when  the  enemy  would 
fire  at  him  with  their  artillery,  sometimes  taking 
such  close  aim  that  their  shots  cut  the  gearing. 

As  at  this  time  the  James  River  was  inaccessible 
to  gunboats,  from  the  presence  of  the  Merrimac, 
and  the  York  River,  from  the  batteries  at  Yorktown 
and.  Gloucester,  McClellan  was  compelled  to  rely 
upon  his  siege  operations  for  the  capture  of  the 
stronghold,  and  extensive  preparations  were  deemed 
necessary  for  the  reduction  of  the  formidable  fortifi- 
cations which  confronted  him.  He  kept  his  troops 
engaged  making  parallels  and  constructing  works, 
until  the  3d  of  May,  when  they  were  completed,  and 
the  assault  arranged  for  the  following  day.  The 
rebels,  however,  were  unwilling  to  be  made  a  target 
for  his  shells,  and  evacuated  the  place  during  the 
night. 

Possession  was  immediately  taken  of  the  deserted 
works,  with  the  guns,  ammunition,  and  camp  equip- 
age left  behind ;  and  the  cavalry  and  horse  artil- 
lery, supported  by  infantry,  sent  in  pursuit  of  the 
enemy.  Gloucester,  on  the  opposite  side  of  York 


YORKTOWN   POSSESSED.  277 

River,  was  also  occupied,  and  the  passage  now  being 
free,  gunboats  were  dispatched  to  West  Point. 

The  fortifications  were  found  to  be  very  strong. 
Two  thousand  slaves  had  been  engaged  upon  the 
works  in  this  neighborhood  for  more  than  a  year, 
and  every-  appliance  had  been  used  to  render  them 
impregnable.  It  is  much  to  McClellan's  credit  that 
he  obtnined  possession  without  the  sacrifice  of  life. 
A  correspondent  of  the  Philadelphia  Press,  writing 
from  the  place,  on  the  day  it  was  occupied,  informs 
us  that  its  defences  "might  have  been  taken  by 
storm,  with  terrible  loss  ;  could  have  been  taken  by 
turning  their  right  on  the  Warwick,  after  a  severe 
battle;  but  have  been  taken  without  loss  of  any 
kind." 

Upon  the  Sunday  morning  that  Yorktown  fell  into 
our  hands,  the  Confederates  were  pursued  with  a 
rapidity  they  little  anticipated,  by  the  troops  under 
Heintzalman  and  Keyes.  Some  important  skirmishes 
occurred  on  the  road,  and  Stonernan,  who,  with  his 
cavalry,  had  approached  close  to  the  works  at  Wil- 
liamsburg,  was  met  by  a  strong  body  of  the  enemy, 
and  compelled  to  fall  back,  for  the  want  of  infantry 
support. 

Monday  morning  found  the  contending  armies  face 
to  face.  It  was  dark  and  dreary,  with  rain  falling 
in  torrents.  The  Confederates  were  in  vastly  su- 
perior numbers,  and  commanded  by  General  Joseph 
E.  Johnston."  The  contest  opened  at  eight  in  the 


278  THE    PENINSULAR    CAMPAIGN. 

morning   and   continued   until  nightfall,   when   the 
enemy  was  beaten  along  the  whole  line. 

When  the  action  commenced,  McClellan  was  busily 
engaged  arranging  for  movements  up  York  River, 
but  upon  receiving  intimation  that  he  was  urgently 
needed  in  the  front,  hastened  to  the  battle-field. 
"  When  the  firing  was  most  terrific,  and  the  anxiety 
most  intense,"  says  an  eye-witness,  "  there  came  from 
the  rear  of  our  ranks  a  sound  which  seemed,  for  the 
moment,  to  subdue  the  roar  even  of  the  artillery. 
All  eyes  and  ears  were  turned  to  discover  its  origin, 
which  proved  to  be  the  approach  of  General  McClel- 
lan and  staff.  Throughout  the  day4ie  had  been  mo- 
mentarily expected,  and  his  opportune  coming  was 
hailed  with  long  and  enthusiastic  cheering.  Regi- 
ment after  regiment,  as  he  was  quickly  recognized, 
gave  utterance  to  a  welcome  of  which  Napoleon 
might  have  been  proud.  Arriving  at  head-quarters, 
he — without  dismounting  from  his  horse — held  a 
brief  consultation  with  General  Keyes,  and  approv- 
ing his  course,  and  especially  his  order  for  re-enforce- 
ments to  General  Hancock,  joined  him  in  a  ride 
throughout  our  lines.  His  appearance  wras  everywhere 
the  signal  for  an  outburst  of  the  wildest  applause. 
He  wore  a  plain  blue  coat,  and  had  his  cap  enveloped 
in  a  glazed  covering.  The  rapidity  of  his  ride  to  the 
field  had  well  spattered  him  with  mud,  and  the 
drenching  rain  had  penetrated  his  every  garment. 
He,  however,  showed  no  signs  of  fatigue,  and  it  was 


OCCUPATION    OF    WILLIAMSBURG.  279 

not  until  he  had  in  person  familiarized  himself  with 
the  entire  field,  and  by  critical  observation  studied 
the  exact  position  of  the  enemy,  that  he  accepted  the 
shelter  of  a  room  which  had  been  reserved  for  him 
at  head-quarters." 

At  nightfall  it  was  announced  that  Hancock  had  met 
the  enemy  with  a  bayonet  charge,  thoroughly  routed 
him,  and  taken  possession  of  the  works  on  the  right 
of  our  lines.  This  news  elated  the  troops,  and  was 
hailed  at  head-quarters  as  a  harbinger  of  victory; 
and  words  of  warm  congratulation  were  sent  to  the 
dashing  officer  by  the  commanding  general.  Re- 
enforcements  reaching  Hancock,  he  was  enabled  to 
hold  the  works  and  remain  undisturbed  throughout 
the  night.  Hooker's  Division,  too,  had  fought  gal- 
lantly during  the  day,  suffering  severe  loss. 

Tuesday  morning  opened  bright,  with  the  air  clear 
and  bracing.  Hooker  announced  that  the  forts  on 
the  left  had  been  abandoned  by  the  enemy,  and  were 
occupied  by  his  troops ;  and  news  was  received  from 
Hancock  that  the  foe  had  disappeared. 

At  nine  o'clock  the  commanding  general  and  his 
staff  proceeded  to  survey  the  battle-field  and  the  forti- 
fications. "Amazed  by  the  proportions  and  strength 
of  the  rebel  fortifications  at  Yorktown,"  remarks  the 
correspondent  of  the  New  York  Evening  Post,  "  the 
Northern  public  could  hardly  have  expected  that  at 
a  point  so  near  as  William sburg,  our  army  would 
encounter  works  of  the  same  elaborate  and  formi- 


280  THE    PENINSULAR    CAMPAIGNT. 

dable  character,  and  meet  a  stout  and  protracted  re- 
sistance on  the  part  of  the  retreating  enemy." 

McClellan  next  entered  the  city,  and  visited  the 
college  building,  alreadj  surmounted  by  the  stars 
and  stripes,  and  on  the  roof  of  which  the  signal  corps 
had  established  a  station.  The  edifice  was  in  use  as 
a  hospital,  and  was  filled  with  wounded  Southerners 
who  had  been  abandoned  by  their  comrades.  The 
General  had  a  kind  word  for  each,  and  a  smile  which 
carried  consolation  to  the  pale  ^sufferers,  most  of 
whom  had  not  yet  received  the  slightest  surgical  at- 
tention. To  their  inquiries,  he  replied  pleasantly, 
promptly,  and  with  much  feeling.  Few  recognized 
him.  When  the  others  were  informed  who  it  was 
that  had  so  generously  cheered  and  comforted  them, 
they  appeared  greatly  surprised,  for  it  had  not  oc- 
curred to  them  that  a  victorious  commander  would 
stoop  to  tenderly  inquire  into  their  casualties,  and 
provide  for  their  relief.  They  all  acknowledged  that 
our  troops  fought  valiantly.  It  is  curious  to  relate, 
that  amongst  the  Federal  wounded  at  the  battle 
of  Williamsburg,  was  a  soldier  of  Company  D, 
Seventh  Maine  Regiment,  named  George  B.  Mo- 
Lellan.  . 

After  thoroughly  inspecting  the  town,  and  de- 
ciding upon  a  house  for  head-quarters,  General  Mc- 
Clellan established  his  staff  there,  and  returned  with 
one  or  two  aides  to. the  battle-field.  He  addressed 
several  of  the  regiments  in  Hancock's  Brigade,  con- 


THANKED    BY    CONGRESS.  281 

gratulated  them  upon  their  victory,  said  that  they 
had  won  for  themselves  a  valorous  name,  which 
should  attend  them  through  life,  and  told  them  that 
they  should  have  "  Williarnsburg"  inscribed  upon 
their  banners. 

In  a  resolution  passed  on  the  9th  of  the  month,  the 
House  of  Representatives  thanked  General  McClel- 
lan  "  for  the  display  of  those  high  military  qualities 
Vv'iiich  secure  important  results  with  but  little  sacri- 
fice of  human  life." 

Whilst  the  battle  of  Williamsburg  was  in  pro- 
gress, a  detachment  was  moved  up  the  York  River 
to  West  Point,  near  to  which  place,  upon  the  7th, 
Franklin's  Division  contended  with  and  defeated  a 
large  Confederate  force  under  General  Lee.  Mc- 
Clellan,  at  the  same  time,  succeeded  in  forcing  John- 
ston's troops  across  the  Chickahoininy  River,  which, 
at  the  point  of  crossing,  is  about  thirty-three  miles 
southeast  of  Richmond. 

The  severe  struggle  just  terminated,  enabled  Mc- 
Clellan  to  feel  the  strength  of  his  opponents.  He 
was  convinced  that  the  Confederates  were  falling 
back  for  the  purpose  of  concentrating  all  their  avail- 
able forces  in  front  of  Richmond,  where  they  would 
give  him  battle. .  He  had  but  from  seventy  to  eighty 
thousand  men  under  his  command,  whilst  he  felt 
satisfied  the  enemy  would  amount  to  double  that 
number,  who  would  fight  protected  by  intrench- 
rnents  and  earth-works.  As  it  was  absolutely  ne- 


282  THE    PENINSULAR    CAMPAIGN. 

cessary  that  his  forces  should  be  increased,  McClel- 
lan  requested  the  War  Department  to  supply  him 
with  re-enforcements  without  delay.  Repeated  ap- 
plications to  the  Secretary  being  unnoticed,  the 
General  was  compelled  to  communicate  direct  with 
the  President,  when  he  was  informed  that  the  re- 
quired aid  could  not  be  granted ;"  in  part,  because 
the  troops  could  not  be  spared  from  the  protection 
of  the  capital,  and  in  part  because  General  McDow- 
ell, who,  during  the  previous  month,  had  occupied 
Fredericksburg,  had  been  instructed  to  move  upon 
Richmond  from  the  north. 

Early  in  the  month,  an  expedition,  under  General 
Wool,  left  Fortress  Monroe,  for  the  purpose  of  cap- 
turing Norfolk,  which  city  surrendered  without  a 
contest,  on  the  10th;  and  the  ponderous  "Merrimac," 
thus  becoming  deprived  of  her  place  of  refuge,  was 
next  day  of  necessity  destroyed  by  her  officers. 
The  JVew  York  Evening  Post,  in  alluding  to  the  occu- 
pation of  the  Confederate  port,  said  :  "  Five  months 
a^o  the  young  Napoleon  was  informed  that  General 
Wool  was  ready  and  anxious  to  take  Norfolk — the 
reply  was  in  substance :  Norfolk  is  well  fortified  and 
cannot  now  be  taken  without  a  large  sacrifice  of  ma- 
terial, and  a  great  loss  of  life ;  wait  awhile,  and 
when  we  need  it,  General  Wool  shall  take  it  without 
the  loss  of  a  man.  The  pledge  of  General  McClel- 
lan  has  been  redeemed." 

The  progress  of  the  main  army  towards  Richmond 


SKIRMISH    AT    COAL    HAKBOR.  283 

was  now  unimpeded.  White  House  was  occupied, 
and  troops  also  moved  from  there  in  the  direction  of 
the  rebel  capital.  Bridges  across  the  Chickahominy, 
that  had  been  destroyed,  were  rebuilt.  The  army 
was  organized  into  two  additional  corps,  one  under 
command  of  General  Fitz-John  Porter,  the  other  of 
General  Franklin. 

Whilst  reconnoitring  on  ,the  12th,  McClellan  nar- 
rowly escaped  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 
On  the  15th,  several  gunboats  attempted  to  pass 
Fort  Darling,  a  few  miles  from  Richmond,  on  the 
James  River,  but  met  with  a  severe  repulse.  At 
this  time  the  vessels  of  the  navy  were  enabled  to 
traverse  the  river  below  that  point,  and  silenced  the 
batteries  erected  on  its  banks. 

On  the  20th,  Newbridge,  eight  miles  from  Rich- 
mond, was  occupied,  and  on  the  24th,  a  spirited  skir- 
mish, of  two  hours'  duration,  took  place  at  Coal 
Harbor,  where  a  Michigan  regiment  encountered  and 
defeated  one  of  Louisianians.  Receiving  intelligence 
of  the  affair,  McClellan  rode  toward  the  place,  and 
met  the  troops  on  their  return  from  the  skirmish; 
when,  after  congratulating  the  officers  on  their 
success,  he  asked  the  men  if  they  thought  any 
thing  could  stop  them  from  entering  Richmond, 
upon  which  an  enthusiastic  "  No !"  rang  from  the 
whole  line. 

The  dispatch  McClellan  had  received  from  the 
War  Department,  informing  him  of  McDowell's  in- 


284  THE    PENINSULAR    CAMPAIGN. 

tended  approach  from  Predericksburg,  rendered  it 
impossible  to  use  the  James  River  as  a  line  of  opera- 
tions, and  forced  him  to  establish  his  depots  on  the 
Pamunkey,  and  attack  Richmond  from  the  north,  so 
that  he  could  the  better  secure  the  junction  with 
McDowell.  This  change  from  his  original  intention 
subjected  the  army  to  great  risk,  of  which  the  enemy 
finally  took  advantage,  and  frustrated  the  plan  of  the 
campaign.  McClellan  was  further  instructed  that 
McDowell's  corps  would  be  placed  under  his  com- 
mand when  it  joined  the  main  army,  and  that  it  would 
commence  its  march  from  Fredericksburg  on  the 
26th.  This  was  cheering  news  to  the  commander, 
who  felt  confident  that  when  the  junction  was  ac- 
complished, he  would  be  sufficiently  strong  to  over- 
come the  large  force  in  his  front.  But,  before  the 
26th  had  closed,  he  received  information  that  Mc- 
Dowell's movement  was  suspended  in  consequence  of 
the  critical  position  in  which  "Stonewall"  Jackson 
had  placed  General  Banks  in  theShenandoah  Valley. 
Having  been  requested  to  cut  the  Virginia  Central 
Railroad  north  of  Richmond,  the  General  dispatched 
an  expedition  under  Fitz-John  Porter  to  under- 
take that  duty,  and  dislodge  a  considerable  force  of 
rebels  from  Han'over  Court-House.  A  sharp  conflict 
ensued,  resulting  in  complete  success  to  the  Federals, 
in  which  Generals  Porter  and  Butterfield  displayed 
a  bravery  that  they  can  look  back  upon  with 
pride.  General  McClellan  rode  over  to  the  scene  of 


THE    STORM    BEFORE    THE    BATTLE.  285 

action  on  the  following  morning,  and  was  enthusiasti- 
cally received.  He  grasped  Porter  by  the  hand  and 
congratulated  him;  then  turning  to  Butterfield, 
placed  one  hand  upon  his  shoulder,  and  paid  him  a 
well  merited  compliment.  Detachments  were  also 
sent  to  destroy  several  railroad  bridges  in  the  vicinity, 
which  was  successfully  accomplished. 

Previous  to  the  25th  of  May,  the  left  of  Mc- 
Clellan's  army  rested  upon  the  Chickahominy.  On 
that  day,  a  considerable  force,  under  the  command 
of  General  Heintzelman,  crossed  the  river  and  took 
up  and  fortified  a  position  in  the  vicinity  of  Seven 
Pines,  from  which  place  two  roads  lead  to  Richmond, 
one  seven  and  the  other  nine  miles  in  length.  Three 
days  later,  a  portion  of  the  command  was  advanced 
to  Fair  Oaks,  three  quarters  of  a  mile  further  to  th« 
front. .  The  ground  was  here  very  flat  and  swampy, 
nearly  all  covered  with  forest,  and  intersected  by 
the  line  of  railroad  that  ran  between  Richmond  and 
West  Point. 

Throughout  the  day,  and  during  the  night  of  the 
30th,  a  violent  storm  raged,  and  the  rain,  which  fell 
in  torrents,  flooded  the  valley  of  the  Chickahominy, 
and  threatened  the  destruction  of  the  bridges  that 
crossed  it.  The  enemy  determined  to  take  advan- 
tage of  the  precarious  position  in  which  the  storm 
had  placed  the  Federal  left,  and  about  noon  on  Sat- 
urday, the  31st,  attacked  it  in  strong  force  with  great 
fury.  A  desperate  battle  ensued,  which  lasted  until 


286  THE    PENINSULAR    CAMPAIGN. 

night.  Two  divisions  of  Sumner's  Corps  crossed  the 
river  to  aid  in  repelling  the  assailants ;  and,  while  the 
battle  was  raging  fiercely,  McClellan  ordered  a  feint 
to  be  made  on  the  right  wing,  at  Mechanicsville,  six 
miles  distant  from  the  scene  of  action,  where  a  can- 
nonading was  commenced  upon  the  rebel  works,  and 
infantry  put  into  motion,  which  had  the  effect  of 
arresting  a  strong  body  of  the  enemy  on  their  way 
to  the  battle-field. 

The  day's  battle  at  Fair  Oaks  was  clearly  in  favor 
of  the  rebels.  When  the  contest  was  suspended  for 
the  night,  General  McClellan, — who,  from  four 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  had  personally  directed  the 
Federal  movements, — left  the  field  for  his  camp, 
almost  worn  out  with  fatigue,  and  rode,  followed  by 
his  staff,  in  the  direction  of  Sunderland  Bridge,  over 
which  he  had  crossed,  early  in  the  afternoon  with  his 
cavalcade,  in  full  gallop.  On  reaching  the  river  be 
found  the  bridge  almost  destroyed  by  the  flood  and 
the  strong  current  surging  over,  every  moment 
threatening  to  carry  away  what  remained.  The 
General,  absorbed  in  thought,  rode  rapidly  to  the 
spot,  expecting  to  find  the  bridge  as  he  had  left  it. 
Discovering  that  it  was  impassable,  he  boldly  plung- 
ed his  horse  into  the  -current,  and  swam  the  stream 
to  the  opposite  bank.  Though  all  admired  his  cour- 
age, but  few  were  prepared  to  follow  his  daring 
example,  the  majority  choosing  to  cross  the  river  at 
the  Grape-vine  Bridge  above. 


FAIR    OAKS.  287 

During  the  night,  the  artillery  was  got  through 
the  swamps,  and  placed  in  position  for  the  attack, 
which  it  was  anticipated  would  be  renewed  at  day- 
break. Upon  that  dark,  rainy  Saturday  night,  the 
contending  forces  lay  waiting  to  renew  the  conflict 
on  the  Sabbath  morning. 

Sunday  was  ushered  in  by  a  summer's  sun.  A 
hurried  breakfast  was  swallowed,  the  long  roll  was 
sounded,  and  fresh  troops,  that  replaced  regiments 
sadly  thinned  in  the  fight  of  the  previous  day,  mus- 
tered into  the  line.  The  enemy  drove  in  the  pickets 
at  six  o'clock,  when  the  contest  was  renewed.  Mc- 
Clellan  was  already  on  the  field,  prepared  to  direct 
the  movements.  A  newspaper  correspondent  says 
that  he  was  ever  "  where  his  duty  called  him.  I 
saw  him  in  the  field  during  the  Sunday  fight,  and 
afterwards  he  rode  along  the  entire  battle  front. 
During  his  progress  he  was  greeted  with  great 
enthusiasm.  It  was  a  splendid  ovation."  The  cor- 
respondent of  the  New  York  Times,  writing  from 
the  battle-field,  also  remarks  :  "  A  little  after  one 
o'clock,  General  McClellan  rode  along  the  lines  of  his 
troops,  back  and  forth,  until  all  the  soldiers  had  a 
good  opportunity  of  seeing  him.  Napoleon  never 
was  received  by  his  enthusiastic  troops  with  greater 
admiration  or  delight  than  was  McClellan  by  his 
army.  They  feel  that  they  must  ever  be  victorious 
under  his  guidance." 

The  battle  continued  till  evening,  and  raged  with 


288  THE    PENINSULAR    CAMPAIGN. 

even  greater  fury  than  on  the  previous  day.  The 
Confederates  were  beaten  at  every  point.  Four 
brilliant  bayonet  charges  were  made  by  the  Federals, 
in  one  of  which  the  enemy  was  driven  a  mile  over 
the  swampy  ground. 

Owing  to  the  storm  that  preceded  the  attack,  the 
left  wing  of  the  Federal  army  had  a  narrow  escape. 
Nothing  but  the  splendid  conduct  of  the  disciplined 
troops  prevented  a  general  disaster.  The  rebels 
contested  the  field  with  their  best  regiments,  com- 
manded by  their  most  experienced  generals,  under 
the  eye  of  Jefferson  Davis,  himself  a  soldier  of  no 
mean  capacity. 

The  correspondent  of  the  New  York  Tribune,  in 
describing  the  battle,  says  : 

"  Oh,  that  rain  which  I  described  !  had  it  not  been 
for  that,  McClellnn  would  to-night  have  been  in 
Richmond.  His  plans  were  matured,  and  our  march 
in  overwhelming  force  and  vigor  could  not  have  been 
stopped.  But  it  is  only  a  question  of  time  with  the 
commander.  I  felt  to-day,  for  the  first  time,  a  full 
sense  of  the  vast  labor  he  undergoes,  and  of  the  ex- 
ceeding heavy  burden  of  the  responsibility  which 
weighs  down  his  heart  and  his  brain,  when  I  saw  him 
dismount  from  his  horse  at  a  brook,  and,  baring  his 
head,  asked  an  orderly  to  bathe  it  with  water  scooped 
up  in  his  hands.  Overwhelmed,  harassed,  hampered 
soldier,  may  the  God  of  battles  give  you  success  and 
give  you  rest !" 


FAIR    OAKS.  289 

These  remarks,  be  it  remembered,  convey  the  im- 
pressions of  the  authorized  representative*  on  the 
battle-field  of  a  journal  which'  now,  apparently  for 
political  purposes,  sees  fit  to  depreciate  the  very  acts 
which  it  then  deliberately  placed  on  record. 

The  correspondent  of  the  New  York  Herald,  in 
describing  the  battle  of  Fair  Oaks,  also  reports: 
"  General  McClellan  seems  to  have  a  large  faculty 
of  keeping  himself  posted  in  regard  to  the  slightest 
movements  or  details  of  movements  in  any  portion 
of  the  field,  and  an  instance  has  yet  to  be  recorded 
where  he  was  not  in  the  right  place  at  the  right 
time;"  whilst  a  correspondent  of  the  New  York 
Evening  Post,  writing  at  this  time,  gives  the  read- 
ers of  that  journal  the  Confederate  estimate  of  Mc- 
Clellan's  military  character,  as  he  heard  it  from  a 
rebel  prisoner,  who  said  :  "  It  is  universally  conceded 
by  our  officers  that  he  has  no  equal  in  either  army. 
They  have  long  and  well  known  his  military  ability. 
They  knew  it  when  he  was  iu  the  old  United  States 
army  with  them,  and  they  fear  him  more  to-day 
than  all  your  other  generals.  He  has  from  the  com- 
mencement done  just  what  we  hoped  he  would  not 
do,  and  avoided  just  what  we  desired  him  to  do. 
One  of  the  most  encouraging  hopes  was  at  one  time 
the  probability  that  he  would  be  superseded.  .  .  We 

*  "  We  shall  continue  to  print  the  news  as  we  receive  it,  em- 
ploying the  most  capable  and  faithful  correspondents." — Tribune 
Editorial  on  the  campaign  in  qiiestion,  June  10#i,  1862. 

13 


290         THE  PENINSULAR  CAMPAIGN. 

would  willingly  have  any  two  of  our  best  generals 
retire  from  the  field,  if  you  could  induce  your  politi- 
cians to  lay  General  McClellan  on  the  shelf." 

This  celebrated  battle  has  in  the  North  received 
the  name  of  "  Fair  Oaks,"  from  a  cluster  of  beautiful 
oak  trees  to  which  the  enemy  were  driven  on  the 
second  day;  but  in  the  South  it  is  better  known 
as  "  Seven  Pines,"  having  terminated  on  the  first 
day  near  a  clump  of  pine  trees.  The  former  point  is  a 
mile  nearer  Richmond  than  the  latter.  It  was  up  the 
river  on  the  banks  of  which  this  battle  was  fought, 
that  the  celebrated  Captain  John  Smith  sailed,  in 
early  days,  when  captured  by  the  Indian's';  and  here 
were  the  hunting  grounds  of  the  pretty  Pocahontas, 
who  saved  his  life. 

On  Monday  McClellan  issued  a  spirited  address 
to  his  soldiers,  telling  them  that  they  were  now 
"  face  to  face  with  the  rebels,  who  are  held  at  bay 
in  front  of  the  capital ;"  that  "  the  final  and  decisive 
battle"  was  at  hand,  and  that  unless  they  belied  their 
past  history,  the  result  could  not  be  for  a  moment 
doubtful.  He  called  upon  them  for  "  one  last  crown- 
ing effort,"  and  told  them  that  he  would  be  in  the 
battle,  and  "  share  its  dangers"  with  them. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

THE    SEVEX   DAYS'    BATTLES. 

The  siege  —  Stuart's  raid  —  Necessity  for  re-enforcements  —  The 
contending  armies  —  FIRST  DAY;  Oak  Grove  —  Narrow  es- 
cape —  SECOND  DAY  ;  Beaver-Dam  Creek  —  THUJD  DAY  ;  Gaines's 
Mill  —  Council  of  War  —  FOURTH  DAY;  Golding's  Farm  —  Mc- 
Clellan's  dispatch  to  the  Secretary  of  War  —  The  crime  of  the 
politicians  —  FIFTH  DAY;  Allen's  Field  —  Savage's  Station  — 
The  Confederates  deluded—  SIXTH  DAY;  White-Oak-Svvamp 
Bridge  —  Glendale  —  SEVENTH  DAY;  Malvern  Hill  —  Confederate 
hopes  frustrated—  The  losses. 


rr^HE  siege  of  Richmond  at  this  time  fairly  com- 
•4-  menced,  and  continued  until  June  25th,  little  oc- 
curring beyond  occasional  skirmishes  to  prevent  the 
construction  of  the  necessary  offensive  works.  The 
entire  of  the  Federal  army,  with  the  exception  of  the 
corps  of  Generals  Frnnklin  and  Fitz  John  Porter,  were 
moved  across  the  Chickahominy.  In  the  middle  of  the 
month,  a  dashing  raid  was  made  by  the  Confederate 
General  J.  E.  B.  Stuart,  who,  on  the  13th,  with  a 
force  of  1,200  cavalry,  and  a  section  of  artillery,  left 
the  rebel  lines  on  the  north  of  Richmond,  and,  as  a 
feint,  moved  as  if  he  was  proceeding  to  re-enforce 
"  Stonewall"  Jackson  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  but 
afterwards  wheeled  about  and  passed  round  the  rear 
of  the  Union  army,  returning  to  the  rebel  capital  on 


292 

the  15th.  During  this  daring  exploit  he  took  a 
number  of  prisoners,  and  captured  a  large  amount 
of  stores. 

At  this  time  McClellan  continued  to  demand  re- 
enforcements,  which  the  government  declined  to 
forward  in  sufficient  numbers,  in  consequence  of  the 
alarm  created  at  Washington  by  Jackson's  move- 
ments on  the  Shenandoah.  The  campaign  of  the  lat- 
ter was  evidently  planned  with  the  view  that  it  would 
lead  to  such  a  result. 

The  only  additions  McClellan  received,  were  Mc- 
Call's  division  of  Pennsylvania  reserves, — about  eight 
thousand  strong,  which  arrived  on  May  13th,  and 
was  attached  to  Porter's  Corps, — and  two  thou- 
sand troops  from  Fortress  Monroe.  Of  the  impolicy 
of  refusing  the  required  re-enforcements,  another  of 
the  New  York  Tribune's  "  capable  and  faithful  cor- 
respondents," then  present  with  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  wrote :  0 

"  If  I  could  go  back  for  three  or  four  months,  with 
the  advantages  of  my  present  military  experience,  I 
should  not  cease  to  urge  the  policy  of  strengthening 
McClellan.  It  would  have  been  economical  to  have 
given  McClellan  all  of  the  disposable  troops  north  and 
south  of  the  Ohio,  when  he  commenced  the  invasion 
of  Virginia.  The  past  is  gone,  but  the  present  is 
with  us,  and  if  any  part  of  it  can  be  used  to  rectify 
the  fearful  mistake  of  weakening  McClellan,  in  God's 
name  let  it  be  used,  and  used  oti  the  instant." 


THE    CONTENDING    ARMIES.  293 

We  are  now  upon  the  eventful  seven  days'  con- 
tests. When  they  commenced,  McClellan's  army  oc- 
cupied a  semi-circular  line  to  the  north  and  east  of 
Richmond,  the  extreme  right  resting  on  Meadow 
Bridge,  about  four  miles  north  of  the  city  and  the 
nearest  point  of  approach.  Porter's  Corps  was  sta- 
tioned at  this  place,  and  following  in  succession  were 
those  of  Franklin,  Sumner,  Heintzelman,  and  Keyes, 
the  latter  being  on  the  extreme  left.  Franklin  hav- 
ing been  also  moved  across  the  Chickahominy,  four 
corps  lay  on  the  south  of  that  stream,  Porter's  alone 
being  stationed  on  the  north.  The  Confederate  army 
was  lodged  on  a  lesser  circle  nearer  the  capital.  It 
consisted  of  eight  grand  divisions,  each  corresponding 
to  a  Federal  army  corps,  commanded  by  Huger,  D. 
H.  Hill,  Longstreet,  G.  W.  Smith,  Magruder,  A.  P. 
Hill,  Reins,  and  Ewell.  Huger  was  stationed  oppo- 
site Keyes,  and  the  others  followed  in  the  order 
given,  Ewell  being  placed  in  front  of  Porter.  Jack- 
son who  had  foiled  his  pursuers  in  the  Valley,  arrived 
at  the  beginning  of  the  contest,  and  with  Stuart's 
cavalry  took  up  a  position  upon  the  extreme  rebel 
left,  next  to  Ewell. 

Throughout  June,  the  enemy  had  been  strongly  re- 
enforced  from  the  west  and  south,  and,  when  joined 
by  Jackson's  troops,  numbered  over  one  hundred  and 
seventy-five  thousand  men,  to  meet  which  vast  army 
McClellan  could  barely  muster  eighty-six  thousand. 
The  Confederates,  too,  possessed  the  advantage  of 


294 


fortifications  to  fall  back  upon,  in  the  event 
beaten  in  the  field. 


FIRST   DAT.  -  OAK    GROVE. 

Though  the  "  seven  days'  battles"  are  considered 
as  beginning  on  Wednesday,  June  25th,  the  opera- 
tions on  that  day  were  merely  defensive  on  the  part 
of  the  rebels.  It  was  not  until  the  following  day 
that  they  commenced  the  attack,  which  led  to  the 
dislodgment  of  the  Federals  from  the  vicinity  of 
Richmond. 

McClellan  learned,  on  Wednesday,  that  Jackson 
was  approaching  to  join  the  rebel  army,  and  that  it 
was  his  intention  to  attack  him  on  the  right  flank 
and  in  the  rear,  cut  oif  his  base  of  operations  on  the 
Pamunkey,  and  force  the  right  wing  of  his  army  into 
the  Chickahominy.  Stuart's  raid,  however,  had  con- 
vinced the  Federal  General  that  it  was  necessary  to 
provide  against  such  a  contingency  ;  and,  as  all  hopes 
of  any  assistance  from  McDowell  were  dissipated, 
and  the  necessity  of  having  his  base  at  the  White 
House  thus  removed,  he  had  consequently  ordered 
stores  of  various  kinds  to  be  forwarded  to  the  James 
River.  Stoneman's  cavalry  was  also  posted  on  the 
right,  to  keep  a  vigilant  watch  over  Jackson's  move- 
ments, and  give  intimation  of  any  advance. 

The  attack  this  day  was  made  at  the  extreme  left  of 
the  Federal  lines,  and  was  for  the  purpose  of  obtain- 
ing possession  of  some  cleared  fields  in  advance,  pre- 


NARROW    ESCAPES.  295 

paratory  to  a  general  forward  movement.  The  ob- 
ject was  attained,  though  a  stubborn  resistance  was 
made  by  the  rebels  throughout  the  day.  The  battle 
is  known  by  the  name  of  Oak  Grove,  and  was  fought 
about  a  mile  from  Fair  Oaks,  in  the  direction  of 
Richmond. 

During  the  day  General  McClellan  rode  to  the 
outer  line  of  pickets,  and,  divesting  himself  of  his 
coat,  ascended  a  tall  tree,  with  remarkable  agility. 
From  the  topmost  branches  he  obtained  a  distinct 
view  of  the  enemy's  position  and  defences,  and  of  the 
city  of  Richmond.  The  rebels  were  no  respecters 
of  his  person,  but  discharged  their  rifles  at  him,  the 
balls  falling  furiously  around,  penetrating  the  trunk, 
and  rattling  among  the  branches,  but  happily  without 
injury  to  the  "chiel"  who  was  "  takin'  notes."  This 
incident  illustrates  the  commander's  fearlessness,  vigi- 
lence,  and  activity.  In  the  afternoon,  while  seated 
on  the  parapet  of  a  redoubt  in  front  of  Hooker's  in- 
trenchments,  with  several  brigadiers  and  staff-officers 
grouped  near  him,  a  peculiar  whistle  was  heard,  which 
sounded  not  unlike  the  prolonged  chirp  of  a  monster 
cricket.  All  immediately  "  ducked"  their  heads,  and 
on  the  instant  a  three-inch  shell  whizzed  directly  over 
/diem,  whilst  another  passed  a  few  feet  to  the  right, 
but  fortunately  neither  exploded.  One  of  them 
lodged  in  the  clay  a  yard  or  two  behind. 

That  night,  a  grand  council  of  war  was  held  in 
Richmond.  Johnston  had  been  severely  wounded 


290  THE  SEVEN  DAYS'  BATTLES. 

at  the  battle  of  Fair  Oaks,  and  Lee  was  now  in 
command.  The  Confederates  considering  themselves 
in  sufficient  strength  to  take  the  offensive,  the  plan 
of  attack  was  arranged,  and  the  rebel  generals  parted 
to  carry  it  into  effect  on  the  morrow. 

SECOND  DAY. BEAVER  DAM  CREEK. 

At  eight  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  Thursday, 
General  McClellan  received  information  that  u  Stone- 
wall"  Jackson  was  moving  swiftly  down  the  isthmus, 
between  the  Pamunkey  and  the  Chickahominy,  for  the 
purpose  of  surprising  him  on  his  right.  It  was  there- 
fore necessary  to  yield  part  of  the  ground  occupied 
on  the  previous  day,  and  dispose  the  troops  on  the 
left,  so  that  they  might  be  able  to  repel  any  attack 
made  in  that  quarter  to  aid  Jackson  in  his  assault  on 
the  opposite  wing.  The  right,  however,  had  this 
day  to  bear  the  brunt  of  the  battle. 

Jackson's  command  started  from  Ashland,  twenty 
miles  north  of  Richmond,  as  early  as  three  o'clock, 
and  by  a  forced  march  reached  Mechanicsville  about 
noon.  It  did  not,  however,  take  any  part  in  the  con- 
test of  this  day.  The  Confederate  attack  was  made 
by  Longstreet  and  A.  P.  Hill,  shortly  after  midday, 
on  the  extreme  right,  near  Beaver  Dam  Creek,  upon 
the  Pennsylvania  reserves,  which  were  afterwards 
strengthened  by  brigades  from  another  division. 
Preparations  had  been  made  to  meet  this  attack 


PREPARATIONS    FOR   THE    CONFLICT.  297 

with  as  much  opposition  as  the  limited  forces  would 
permit.  The  strife  was  mostly  carried  on  with 
artillery.  The  assault  was  UD successful,  but  it  led 
McClellan  to  ascertain  the  advisability  of  contracting 
his  lines  in  that  direction. 

A  portion  of  Jackson's  command,  however,  suc- 
ceeded in  cutting  off  a  detachment  under  Colonel 
Lansing,  sent  to  guard  the  approaches  to  the  White 
House,  but  it  was  ultimately  enabled  to  make  its 
way  to  the  York  River,  and  embark  on  transports. 


By  Friday  morning,  General  McClellan  had  con- 
centrated his  right  wing  near  Gaines's  Mill,  with  both 
flanks  resting  on  the  river,  and  covering  the  most 
important  bridges.  Being  now  satisfied  that  Jack- 
son was  determined  to  seize  the  military  stores  at 
the  White  House,  and  cut  off  the  Federal  retreat  by 
that  direction,  he  ordered  Stoneman's  cavalry  to 
move  swiftly  to  the  Pamunkey,  expedite  the  trans- 
portation of  the  stores,  and  destroy  such  as  it  was 
impossible  to  remove.  Porter's  trnins  and  equipages 
had  been  transferred  during  the  night  to  the  opposite 
bank  of  the  Chickahominy,  and  his  wounded  con- 
veyed to  the  hospital  at  Savage's  Station. 

As  it  was  assumed  that  the  rebels  would  appear 

tm  the  right  in  greater  force  than  on  the  previous 

day,  Slocum's  division,  about  eight  thousand  strong, 

was  held  in  readiness  to  cross'  the  river  and  sup- 

13* 


298 


port  Porter,  and  proceeded  to  his  aid  directly  after 
the  contest  opened,  although,  fearing  an  attack  on  the 
whole  front,  it  was  deemed  hazardous  to  weaken  the 
left  wing.  But  there  was  no  alternative.  General 
McClellan  had  only  so  much  material,  and  great  care 
was  required  in  its  distribution. 

He  had  received  information,  in  the  course  of  the 
morning,  that  Longstreet  was  at  Mechanicsville, 
ready  to  move  down  on  either  bank  of  the  river, 
according  to  circumstances,  which,  with  other  threat- 
ening proceedings  on  various  parts  of  the  centre  and 
left,  placed  a  limit  to  the  number  of  re-enforcements 
for  Porter.  At  the  same  time,  it  was  impossible 
to  withdraw  that  officer's  corps  to  the  right  bank 
of  the  river  by  daylight,  as,  from  the  proximity  of 
the  rebels,  it  could  not  have  been  done  without 
severe  loss,  and  would  have  placed  the  right  flank 
and  rear  at  their  mercy.  It  was  therefore  necessary 
to  hold  the  position  and  repel  the  enemy  at  any  cost, 
and  in  the  meantime  perfect  arrangements  for  a 
change  of  base  to  the  James  River. 

The  Confederates  moved  upon  the  Federals  in  the 
form  of  a  crescent,  and  commenced  the  attack  about 
midday  by  an  onslaught  on  the  right  flank,  which 
was  three  times  gallantly  repulsed.  The  object  of 
this  attack  was  evidently  to  draw  McClellan's  atten- 
tion from  a  premeditated  assault  on  Porters  left. 

We  give  the  particulars  of  the  battle  as  they  were 
narrated  by  us  in  a  previous  work  : 


"The  din  of  battle  now  veered  round  to  the 
centre  and  the  left.  At  about  half-past  three  o'clock 
p.  M.,  Longstreet  commenced  to  drive  the  Federals 
down  the  Chickahominy.  At  four  o'clock,  the  bat- 
tle raged  with  intense  fury  in  the  vicinity  of  Gaines's 
Mill.  Here  the  conflict  lasted  for  nearly  two  hours. 
The  columns  surged  backward  and  forward,  first  one 
yielding  and  then  the  other.  The  Federal  centre 
made  a  desperate  stand,  but  it  was  not  until  it  had 
hurled  its  last  fresh  brigade  against  the  rebels  that 
they  were  beaten  back.  The  Confederates,  finding 
that  they  could  not  force  the  Federal  centre,  now 
threw  their  columns  against  its  left,  where  the 
roar  of  musketry  increased  in  volume,  and  the  con- 
flict became  more  terrific  as  time  sped  on.  The 
Confederates  had  suffered  severely  from  the  raking 
fire  which  the  Federals  had  poured  upon  them  from 
a  plateau.  The  latter  swept  the  whole  face  of  the 
country  with  their  artillery,  and  would  have  annihi- 
lated the  rebel  force,  if  it  had  not  been  screened  by 
the  inequalities  of  the  land.  The  rebels  descended 
into  a  deep  creek  and  passed  up  a  hill  beyond ;  but  so 
terrific  was  the  hail-storm  of  lead,  which  fell  thick 
and  fast  around  them,  that  it  was  with  great  diffi- 
culty their  regiments  could  be  induced  to  withstand 
it.  In  fact,  in  one  instance,  one  of  their  generals, 
sword  in  hand,  threatened  to  behead  the  first  man 
that  hesitated  to  advance.  The  Federals  were  now 
compelled  to  withdraw  their  guns  and  take  up  a 


800  THE    SEVEN    DAYS*    BATTLES. 

fresh  position  wherefrom  to  assail  the  foe,  which  was 
advancing  from  the  woods  and  towards  the  plateau. 
Forward  pushed  the  Confederates.  Officers  had  no 
horses — all  were  shot.  Brigadiers  marched  on  foot, 
regiments  were  commanded  by  captains,  and  com- 
panies by  sergeants  ;  yet  onward  they  rushed,  with 
yells,  and  colors  flying,  and  backward,  still  backward 
fell  the  Federals.  When  the  plateau  was  reached, 
the  Confederates  found  in  their  front  the  Federal 
camps,  stretching  far  away  to  the  northeast.  Drawn 
up  in  line  of  battle  were  the  commands  of  McCall 
and  Porter  and  others.  Banners  darkened  the  air, 
and  artillery  vomited  forth  incessant  volleys  of  grape, 
canister,  and  shell.  Brigade  after  brigade  of  the 
Confederates  was  hurled  against  the  Northern  heroes. 
In  vain  did  the  brave  Butterfield,  with  hat  in  hand, 
rally,  cheer,  and  lead  his  men  forward  again  and 
again.  In  vain  did  he  cry,  '  Once  more,  my  gallant 
men  !'  as  a  last  rallying  order.  The  opposing  hosts 
were  too  strong  to  be  withstood.  They  assailed  him 
in  front,  on  the  side,  and  in  the  rear,  and  compelled 
him  to  fall  back. 

"  The  Federals  now  moved  with  the  evident  inten- 
tion of  flanking  the  rebel  force  engaged  on  its  left, 
but  the  latter  pressed  onward  to  the  heart  of  the 
Federal  position,  and  when  the  national  troops  had 
almost  succeeded  in  carrying  out  their  operations, 
great  commotion  was  heard  in  the  woods.  Volley 
after  volley  was  repeated  in  rapid  succession.  These 


GAINES'S    MILL,  301 

welcome  sounds  were  recognized  and  cheered  by  the 
rebels.  '  It  is  Jackson,'  they  shouted,  '  on  their  right 
and  rear  !'  Yes,  two  or  three  brigades  of  Jackson's 
corps  had  approached  from  Coal  Harbor  and  flanked 
the  national  forces.  The  fighting  now  increased  in 
its  severity.  Worked  up  to  madness,  the  Confeder- 
ates dashed  forward  at  a  run,  and  drove  the  Federals 
back  with  irresistible  fury. 

<c  Wheeling  their  artillery  from  the  front,  the  Fed- 
erals turned  part  of  it  to  break  the  rebel  left  and 
save  their  own  retreat.  The  earth  trembled  at  the 
roar.  Not  one  Confederate  piece  had  as  yet  opened 
fire  ;  all  had  thus  far  been  done  by  the  bullet  and  the 
bayonet.  Onward  pressed  the  rebel  troops,  through 
camps  upon  camps,  capturing  guns,  stores,  arms,  and 
clothing.  They  swept  every  thing  before  them. 
Presenting  an  unbroken,  solid  front,  and  closing  in 
upon  the  Federals,  they  kept  up  an  incessant  succe^- 
sion  of  volleys  upon  their  confused  masses.  There 
was  but  one  '  charge !'  and  from  the  moment  that 
the  word  of  command  was  given,  *  Fix  bayonets ! 
forward!'  the  rebel  advance  was  never  stopped, 
despite  the  awful  reception  which  it  met." 

By  this  engagement,  Stoneman's  cavalry  was  sepa- 
rated from  the  rest  of  the  army.  It  had,  however, 
played  an  active  part  both  in  this  and  the  previous 
day's  contests,  and  was  afterwards  enabled  to  make 
its  way  to  the  White  House,  and  thence  down  the 
Peninsula  to  Fortress  Monroe. 


302 


fBy  evening  McClellan's  projected  change  of  base 
to  the  James  River,  came  to  be  whispered  abroad. 
Such  an  operation  is  always  a  dangerous  experiment 
in  the  face  of  an  enemy,  and  the  movement  now  be- 
ing made  under  compulsion,  was  considered  very 
critical.  To  enable  such  a  change  to  be  successfully 
accomplished  by  a  defeated  army,  in  the  presence  of 
double  the  number  of  antagpnists,  elated  with  vic- 
tory, requires  the  most  skilful  generalship.  The 
Union  soldiers  were  satisfied  that  if  it  could  be  safely 
carried  out  by  any  commander,  that  man  was  at  the 
head  of  their  army. 

It  has  already  been  stated  that  the  movements  of 
the  Confederates  had  convinced  McClellan  they  in- 
tended to  cut  off  his  retreat  to  the  Pamunkey.  He  re- 
solved to  foil  them.  The  night  before  the  battle,  all 
the  wagons,  heavy  guns,  etc.,  had  been  moved  to  the 
right  bank  of  the  river,  and  the  night  after,  Porter's 
shattered  columns  crossed  the  stream,  and  cavalry 
and  artillery  were  placed  at  every  ford  and  bridge  to 
prevent  the  enemy  following.  The  head-quarters, 
heretofore  situated  in  a  field  close  to  the  river's  bank, 
were  at  dusk  removed  to  Savage's  Station,  on  the 
railroad.  "At  night,"  writes  the  author  of  leaves 
from  the  Diary  of  an  Army  Surgeon,  "  as  the  seve- 
ral brigades  came  over  the  bridge,  and  clustered  on 
the  borders  of  the  swamp,  one  single  tent  stood  on 
the  hillside,  and  that  was  General  McClellan's.  At 
eleven  o'clock,  a  council  of  war  was  held  in  front  of 


COUNCIL    OF   WAB.  303 

this  tent,  in  which  the  General  commanding,  corps 
commanders,  with  their  aides,  among  them  the  French 
Princes,  and  the  General  of  Engineers,  took  part.  A 
large  fire  had  been  lighted  just  beyond  the  arbor  in 
front,  and  its  blaze  lighted  up  the  faces  of  the  gene- 
rals as  they  sat  in  the  arbor,  which  formed  a  pavilion 
for  the  tent.  The  conference  was  long  and  seemingly 
earnest.  This  was  the  first  council  called  by  General 
McClellan  since  he  took  the  field,  and  here  he  dis-  * 
closed  his  plans  of  reaching  the  James  River." 

During  the  night,  dispositions  were  made  to  com- 
mence the  march,  and  Keyes  on  the  extreme  left 
extended  his  line,  in  order  to  protect  the  crossing  of 
White  Oak  Swamp.  Transportation  trains  were  pre- 
pared to  move,  and  the  right  was  made  sufficiently 
strong  to  oppose  the  enemy's  crossing  the  river,  and 
renewing  the  attack. 

FOURTH    DAY. GOLDING's   FAEM. 

Some  hours  before  day-break  on  Saturday,  Mc- 
Clellan proceeded  to  Savage's  Station,  and  remained 
there  during  the  day  and  following  night,  directing 
the  withdrawal  of  the  ammunition  trains  and  army 
supplies.  The  large  herd  of  two  thousand  five  hun- 
dred beef  cattle  were  transferred,  without  loss,  to  the 
James  River,  a  convincing  proof  of  the  regularity 
with  which  the  retreat  was  conducted.  McClellan 
acted  upon  the  supposition  that  the  enemy  would  not 
discover  his  determination  until  he  was  able  to  defeat 


304 


his  movements.  At  all  events,  it  was  the  only  hope- 
ful course,  for  the  rehels  were  laying  in  wait  for  him 
on  the  left  bank  of  the  Chickahominy.  The  road 
through  which  he  had  to  pass  his  interminable  train 
was  only  a  narrow  one,  but  fortunately  it  was  smooth 
and  dry. 

Whilst  the  long  hand  of  the  clock  was  pointing 
out  the  minutes  of  the  first  hour  of  the  day,  as  time 
•  moved  onwards,  General  McClellan  was  busily  occu- 
pied writing  to  the  Secretary  of  War  his  dispatch 
descriptive  of  the  position  in  which  he  was  placed. 
We  may  readily  conceive  that  the  thoughts  traced 
by  his  pen  emanated  from  a  heart  lacerated  with 
sorrow  at  the  loss  of  many  brave  men,  who  had  fallen 
victims  to  the  stupidity  and  neglect  of  the  authori- 
ties under  whom  he  acted. 

In  this  dispatch  he  says : — "  I  now  know  the  whole 
history  of  the  day.  On  this  side  of  the  river — the 
right  bank — we  repulsed  several  strong  attacks.  On 
the  left  bank  our  men  did  all  that  men  could  do, — all 
that  soldiers  could  accomplish ;  but  they  were  over- 
whelmed by  vastly  superior  numbers,  soon  after  I 
brought  my  last  reserves  into  action.  .  .  .  Had  I 
twenty  thousand,  or  even  ten  thousand  fresh  troops 
to  use  to-morrow,  I  could  take  Richmond ;  but  I 
have  not  a  man  in  reserve,  and  shall  be  glad  to  cover 
my  retreat  and  save  the  material  and  personnel  of  the 
army. 

"  If  we  have  lost  the  day,  we  have  yet  preserved 


DISPATCH    TO    THE    SECRETARY    OF   WAR.        805 

our  honor,  and  no  one  need  blush  for  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac.  I  have  lost  this  battle  because  my 
force  was  too  small. 

"  I  again  repeat  that  I  am  not  responsible  for  this, 
and  I  say  it  with  the  earnestness  of  a  General  who 
feels  in  his  heart  the  loss  of  every  brave  man  who 
has  been  needlessly  sacrificed  to-day.  I  still  hope  to 
retrieve  our  fortunes ;  but  to  do  this  the  Government 
must  view  the  matter  in  the  same  earnest  light  that 
I  do.  You  must  send  me  very  large  re-enforcements, 
and  send  them  at  once.* 

"I  know  that  a  few  thousand  more  men  would 
have  changed  this  battle  from  a  defeat  to  a  victory. 
As  it  is,  the  Government  must  not,  and  cannot  hold 
me  responsible  for  the  result. 

"  I  feel  too  earnestly,  to-night — I  have  seen  too 
many  dead  and  wounded  comrades  to  feel  otherwise 
— that  the  Government  has  not  sustained  this  army. 
If  you  do  not  do  so  now,  the  game  is  lost.  If  I  save 
this  army  now,  I  tell  you  plainly  that  I  owe  no  thanks 
to  you,  or  to  any  other  persons  in  Washington.  You 
have  done  your  best  to  sacrifice  this  army.'1 

The  day  dawned  hot  and  cheerless  to  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac.  No  sound  of  a  hostile  gun  disturbed 
the  dread  stillness  until  nine  o'clock.  The  quiet  was 
in  striking  contrast  with  the  fiery  storm  that  had 
raged  the  previous  afternoon.  Shortly  after  that 

*  But  five  thousand  re-enforcements  were  sent,  and  those  did 
not  reach  the  army  until  its  arrival  at  Harrison's  Landing. 


306 

hour,  however,  the  ominous  silence  was  broken  by 
an  awful  cannonade  which  opened  upon  Franklin, 
whilst  he  was  withdrawing  his  command  from  Gold- 
ing's  Farm.  It  proceeded  from  Garnett's  Hill,  from 
the  valley,  and  from  Gaines's  Hill  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  Chickahominy.  Shortly  afterwards  two  Geor- 
gia regiments  attempted  to  carry  the  works  about  to 
be  evacuated,  but  the  attack  was  repulsed.  Quiet 
was  not  again  disturbed  that  day. 

Saturday  was  also  marked  by  the  capture  of  three 
Federal  regiments,  and  the  rapid  and  successful 
movements  of  Jackson  and  Stuart,  in  which  they  cut 
off  communication  with  the  White  House  and  de- 
stroyed the  line  of  telegraph ;  whilst  bridges  were 
thrown  across  White  Oak  Swamp,  over  which  the 
train  of  the  retreating  army  moved  day  and  night 
until  all  had  passed.  Officers  were  on  horseback 
throughout  the  night,  directing  the  movements  of  the 
great  caravan,  and  there5  was  neither  sleep  nor  peace 
of  mind  for  those  who  realized  the  peril,  into  which 
jealousy  had  thrown  the  principal  army  of  the  He- 
public. 

That  "most  capable  and  faithful"  correspondent 
of  the  New  York  Tribune^  "  S.  W.,"  in  writing  on 
this  day  from  the  scene  of  operations,  tells  a  few 
wholesome  truths,  which  we  cannot  refrain  from  in- 
troducing into  our  narrative. 

"  We  march  now  through  the  White-Oak  Swamp," 
he  remarks,  "  to  change,  in  twelve  hours'  time,  the 


THE  "  CRIME"  OF  THE  POLITICIANS.         307 

base  of  a  great  army  —  doomed  where  it  was,  and 
having  now  but  little  grace  of  delay  accorded  it  by 
an  active  and  brave  enemy,  numerous  enough  to 
encircle  us  at  any  point  and  to  outnumber  us  at  all. 
The  movement  is  bold,  soldier-like,  and  brilliant,  but 
eminently  hazardous.  It  is  made  by  the  light  of  the 
burning  of  every  one  of  the  bridges  which  we  have 
so  painfully  thrown  over  the  Chickahominy,  and 
within  hearing  of  the  destruction,  by  our  own  hands, 
of  the  railroad  which  gave  us  supplies  and  was  to 
secure  us  retreat.  The  movement  will  probably  be 
successful,  though  its  trail  will  be  bloody.  The 
world  will  regard  it  as  a  masterly  stroke  of  genius. 
The  army  will  so  regard  it,  and  will  feel  for  its 
commander  the  admiration  and  gratitude  that  saviours 
of  men  ever  enkindle  in  loyal  hearts.  But  the  bril- 
liancy of  this  movement  will  not  for  an  instant  dazzle 
the  eyes  of  the  wronged  and  wrathful  men  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  nor  will  it  dazzle  the  sight  of 
the  angry  people  so  as  for  a  moment  to  obscure  their 
perception  of  the  crime  against  the  nation,  which 
has  made  this  change  of  base  and  front  imperiously 
necessary.  This  crime  is  the  refusal  to  re-enforce 
McClellan.  .  .  .  The  politicians  and  statesmen 
who  left  us  here  to  be  outnumbered  and  cut  off  from 
our  supplies  and  the  possibility  of  retreat,  are  doomed 


No  unprejudiced  man  can  deny  the  justice  of  the 
censure  conveyed  in  these  remarks. 


308  THE    SEVEN   DAYS'    BATTLES. 

FIFTH   DAY. ALLEN'S  FIELD  ;    SAVAGE'S  STATION. 

As  the  first  rays  of  the  sun  lighted  up  the  east- 
ern horizon,  General  McClellan  was  astir,  and. thou- 
sands of  cattle  and  wagons,  and  an  immense  train  of 
artillery,  intermingled  with  regiments  of  infantry  and 
troops  of  cavalry,  choked  up  the  narrow  passage. 
The  head-quarters  camp  at  Savage's  Station  was 
broken  up  early  in  the  morning  and  moved  across 
White  Oak  Swamp.  The  commander  was  busily 
occupied  during  the  day  in  examining  the  ground, 
directing  the  posting  of  the  troops,  and  securing  the 
uninterrupted  movement  of  the  trains.  The  corps  of 
Sumner,  Heintzelman,  and  Franklin,  under  the  com- 
mand of  the  former,  guarded  the  rear,  with  orders 
to  hold  the  enemy  in  check  till  night.  "  A  noblo 
army  for  sacrifice,  and  some,  oh  !  how  many  must  fall 
to  save  the  rest !"  At  no  point  along  the  line  were 
they  more  than  three-quarters  of  a  mile  distant  from 
the  rebel  front,  and  at  one  point  the  distance  was 
only  about  six  hundred  yards.  This  proximity  ne- 
cessitated every  move  to  be  made  "with  the  greatest 
caution,  and  column  after  column  marched  away  so 
secretly,  that  the  deception  practised  upon  the  enemy 
was  for  some  time  maintained. 

"During  the  day,"  says  a  Confederate  narrative, 
"  the  mortifying  fact  became  known  to  our  generals 
that  McClellan  had,  in  a  measure,  succeeded  in  elud- 
ing us,  and  that,  having  massed  his  entire  force  on  the 


THE    REBELS    DELUDED.  309 

Richmond  side  of  the  Chickahominy,  he  was  retreat- 
ing towards  the  James  River — having  stolen  a  march 
of  twelve  hours  on  General  Huger,  who  had  been 
placed  in  a  position  on  his  flank  to  watch  his  move- 
ments." 

General  Lee  had  expected  to  crush  McClellan, 
whom  he  believed  was  totally  ignorant  of  the  criti- 
cal position  in  which  he  was  placed ;  but  Lee  was 
deluded  with  the  idea  that  he  would  retreat  to  the 
Pamunkey.  It  was  a  game  of  strategy,  and  McClel- 
lan  came  off  the  winner. 

A  sharp  skirmish,  which  took  place  with  the  enemy's 
cavalry  early  in  the  day,  on  the  Quaker  road,  showed 
that  eiforts  were  about  to  be  directed  towards  im- 
peding the  progress  of  the  Union  forces  to  the  James 
River.  At  nine  o'clock  the  rebels  commenced  a 
furious  attack  upon  Sumner.  They  were  quickly  met 
by  fearful  volleys  of  musketry  and  artillery,  and,  after 
being  repulsed,  returned  to  the  fray  in  increased  num- 
bers, only  to  be  again  sent  surging  back  in  disorder. 

In  the  course  of  the  morning,  intelligence  was  re- 
ceived that  the  Confederates  had  repaired  the  bridges 
and  were  crossing  the  Chickahominy  in  large  force, 
advancing  towards  Savage's  Station.  Every  prepa- 
ration was  made  to  receive  them,  the  entire  open 
space  near  the  Station  being  crowded  with  troops. 
In  the  meantime,  the  stores  that  it  was  found  impos- 
sible to  remove  were  submitted  to  the  torch.  About 
four  o'clock  the  shock  of  battle  was  felt;  the  on- 


310  THE   SEVEN    DAYS'    BATTLES. 

slaught  was  terrific.  The  conflict  took  place  in  an 
open  field,  a  mile  square,  and  the  assault  was  con- 
tinued with  great  obstinacy  until  nearly  nine  o'clock, 
when  the  rebels  were  driven  from  the  ground. 
During  the  battle  McClellan  rode  fearlessly  through 
the  enemy's  fire,  and  did  not  leave  the  scene  of  action 
until  satisfied  that  all  danger  was  at  an  end,  when 
he  galloped  towards  the  front. 

Whilst  the  National  forces  were  being  pressed  on 
the  south  side  of  the  Chickahominy,  Jackson  and 
Stuart  were  active  on  the  north,  dashing  down  to  the 
White  House  and  capturing  and  destroying  the  Fed- 
eral property  situated  at  that  place. 

At  midnight,  the  lights  were  still  burning  at  head- 
quarters;  the  commander  was  yet  working  with 
unyielding  devotion  ;  aides  were  still  riding,  but  all 
else  was  silent. 

SIXTH  DAT. WHITE  OAK  SWAMP  BEIDGE  ;    GLENDALE. 

Immediately  after  the  battle  of  the  preceding  day, 
orders  were  repeated  for  all  the  troops  to  fall  back 
and  cross  White  Oak  swamp,  which  difficult  task 
was  accomplished  in  good  order  during  the  night, 
and  at  five  o'clock  on  Monday  morning  the  bridge 
was  destroyed.  Shortly  after  noon,  the  enemy 
opened  a  fierce  cannonade  upon  the  troops  that  were 
placed  to  guard  the  passage  against  the  pursuers. 
The  artillery  duel  which  ensued  continued  with  great 
spirit  and  determination  until  night,  and  was  probably 


f 

NARROW    ESCAPE    OP   JEFFERSON    DAVIS.        311 

one  of  the  most  severe  combats  of  the  kind  that  has 
occurred  during  the  war. 

At  two  o'clock,  the  rebels  were  reported  advan- 
cing in  force  by  the  Charles  City  road,  on  the  south 
side  of  the  swamp,  and  half  an  hour  later  made  an 
attack,  down  the  road,  on  General  Slocum's  left,  but 
were  checked  by  his  artillery.  About  four  o'clock 
another  attack  on  the  Union  forces  was  made,  at 
Glendale,  with  much  fierceness,  by  large  numbers, 
who,  after  a  severe  fight,  lasting  until  after  dark,  were 
routed  at  all  points.  Jefferson  Davis  was  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  battle  during  the  day,  and  had  a  nar- 
row escape.  He  had  taken  a  position  in  a  house 
which  General  Lee  advised  him  to  leave,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  danger  threatening  it,  and  had 
scarcely  complied,  before  it  was  literally  riddled  with 
shell  from  the  Federal  batteries. 

In  the  morning,  McClellan  pushed  to  the  river  to 
communicate  with  Captain  Rodgers,  who  had  arrived 
with  the  gunboats  Aroostook  and  Galena,  and  the 
beneficial  results  of  the  meeting  were  soon  apparent. 

The  commander's  keen  eye  soon  enabled  him  to 
discover  that  Malvern  Hill,  a  beautiful  and  lofty  bluff 
close  to  the  James  River,  was  the  key  to  his  opera- 
tions in  that  quarter,  and  that  its  occupation  would 
enable  him  very  considerably  to  expedite  the  passage 
of  his  trains.  A  portion  of  the  army  reached  that 
place  about  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  at  which 
time  the  rebels  began  to  appear  in  General  Porter's 


312  THE    SEVEN    DAYS5    BATTLES.  » 

front,  and  an  hour  later  attacked  him.  In  the  contest, 
the  gunboats  rendered  >  most  efficient  service,  and  as- 
sisted in  driving  back  the  enemy.  McClellan  after- 
wards rode  along  the  ranks,  inspiring  confidence 
amongst  the  men,  and  assured  them  he  had  now  got 
the  rebels  in  the  place  desired  by  him.  He  made 
the  entire  circuit  of  the  position.  The  next  morning 
he  proceeded  down  the  river,  with  Captain  Rodgers, 
to  select  the  site  best  fitted  for  the  encampment  of 
his  army. 

SEVENTH   DAY. MALVERN    HILL. 

Throughout  the  morning  of  Tuesday,  there  was 
every  appearance  that  the  Confederates  were  pre- 
paring for  an  engagement,  but.  it  was  not  until  three 
o'clock  that  fighing  commenced  in  earnest.  An  hour 
later  it  ceased  for  a  time  along  the  whole  line,  but 
only  to  be  renewed  at  six  o'clock  with  increased 
vigor.  "  Brigade  after  brigade,"  General  McClellan 
reports,  "  formed  under  cover  of  the  woods,  started 
at  a  run  to  cross  the  open  space  and  charge  our  bat- 
teries ;  but  the  heavy  fire  of  our  guns,  with  the  cool 
and  steady  volleys  of  our  infantry,  in  every  ease,  sent 
them  reeling  back  to  shelter,  and  covered  the  ground 
with  their  dead  and  wounded.  In  several  instances 
our  infantry  withheld  their  fire  until  the  attacking 
columns,  which  rushed  through  the  storm  of  canister 
and  shell  from  our  artillery,  had  reached  within  a 
few  yards  of  our  lines.  They  then  poured  in  a  single 
volley,  and  dashed  forward  with  the  bayonet,  cap- 


MALVEBN    HILL.  313 

turing  prisoners  and  colors,  and  driving  the  routed 
columns  in  confusion  from  the  field." 

This  action  took  place  on  the  left  of  the  Federal 
line,  commanded  by  Porter,  who,  about  seven  o'clock, 
as  the  enemy  accumulated  fresh  troops  in  his  front, 
was  strengthened  by  re-enforcements  from  other 
corps.  Until  dark,  the  Confederates  persisted  in 
their  efforts  to  take  the  positions  so  tenaciously 
hold;  but,  despite  their  vastly  superior  numbers, 
their  repeated  and  desperate  attacks  were  repulsed 
with  fearful  loss. 

McClellan  returned  to  his  army  before  the  serious 
fighting  commenced,*  and,  after  riding  along  the 

*  Much  currency  has  been  given  to  a  slander  emanating  from 
the  political  enemies  of  General  McClellan,  to  the  effect  that  he 
remained  on  the  gunboat  "  Galena"  during  this  battle.  Curi- 
ously, and  we  must  suppose  through  inadvertence,  a  complete 
refutation — if  any  was  necessary — of  this  calumny,  appears  in 
the  columns  of  the  New  York  Tribune  of  September  20th,  1864. 
We  refer  to  extracts  from  the  "  Daily  journal  of  a  ward-room  offi- 
cer of  the  United  States  Steamer  Galena."  It  must,  however, 
be  distinctly  noted  that  by  the  omission,  in  connection  with 
these  extracts,  of  all  mention  or  reference  to  the  hour  of  battle, 
a  false  impression  is  obviously  sought  to  be  conveyed  to  the 
casual  reader.  By  this  "  authority"  we  are  informed  that  the 
General  returned  to  the  Galena,  from  surveying  a  site  for  the 
encampment  at  Harrison's  Landing,  at  1.30  P.  M.,  "  when  we 
started  up  the  river."  Heavy  firing  is  heard  in  passing  up. 
The  General  then  "  seems  a  little  anxious,  and  looks  now  and 
•then  inquiringly  at  the  signal  officer,  who  is  receiving  a  message 
from  shore.  In  a  minute  or  two,  he  reports  :  '  Heavy  firing  near 
Porter's  division.'  Next  comes  a  message  demanding  his  (Mc- 
Clellan's)  presence  on  shore.  A  boat  is  manned,  and,  with  three 
cheers  from  officers  and  crew,  off  goes  the  man  upon  whom  hangs 
14 


314  THE    SEVEN    DATS*    BATTLES. 

lines,  stationed  himself  on  the  right,  where  he  con- 
sidered the  danger  most  imminent.  The  enemy, 
however,  chose  to  attack  the  left,  hurling  his 
forces  against  Porter,  whom  he  had  vanquished  at 

the  destiny  of  the  American  people.  The  firing  still  continues 
nearer  and  louder  than  before.  The  enemy  are  making  a  despe- 
rate advance  upon  our  artillery,  but  they  never  can  pass  the  brow 
of  that  hill.  About  6  p.  M.  we  ran  up  and  threw  in  a  few  shells, 
with  good  effect.  9  P.  M.  The  firing  has  almost  ceased.  .  .  . 
11  P.  M.  McClellan  has  just  returned." 

The  battle  did  not  virtually  begin  till  3  p.  M.,  by  which 
time  the  gunboat  would  have  returned  to  its  vicinity,  the  dis- 
tance from  Harrison's  Landing  being  under  twelve  miles.  The 
firing  ceased  an  hour  later,  and  it  was  not  until  6  P.  M.  that  the 
main  engagement  commenced,  closing  at  dark.  A  comparison  of 
these  hours  with  those  given  in  the  Tribune,  shows  that  McClellan 
was  not  on  board  the  Galena  during  the  battle.  But  even  if  the 
battle  had  been  fought  before  his  return,  his  absence  would  have 
been  occasioned  by  the  performance  of  a  duty  he  could  not  sat- 
isfactorily depute  to  another. 

The  same  paper,  a  week  later,  inserted  a  letter,  stated  to  be 
from  an  "  ex-officer"  of  the  Galena,  who  says :  "  I  solemnly  de- 
clare, that  during  the  critical  and  most  perilous  time  of  that  last 
day's  battle  at  Malvern  Hill,  General  George  B.  McClellan  (with 
his  staff,  the  French  princes)  was  on  board  of  our  vessel.  I  also 
affirm  that  the  aforesaid  General  did  not  go  ashore  at  that  place, 
but  remained  on  board  during  the  time  the  heaviest  and  most 
decisive  fighting  was  done." 

This  last  statement  is  directly  contradicted  by  the  previous  one, 
which  asserts  not  only  that  the  General  did  go  ashore,  but  that 
the  firing  was  "  nearer  and  louder"  after  he  had  left  the  boat. 

Later  still,  the  Tribune  inserts  the  sworn  statement  of  a  soldier 
in  the  signal-corps,  who  declares  :  "  It  is  within  my  own  personal 
knowledge  that  official  reports  and  communications  were  transmitted 
by  our  party,  during  the  heat  of  the  battle,  by  the  several  corps  com- 


MALVERN    HILL.  815 

Gaines's  Mill;  but  that  general  was  more  than  a 
match  for  his  foe,  and  to  his  valor  must  be  awarded 
no  small  share  of  the  honors  of  the  day's  victory. 

The  gunboats  rendered  great  service  during  the 
entire  battle.  The  firing  of  their  monster  guns  was 
directed  by  the  signal  corps,  and  their  ponderous 
missiles  occasioned  great  carnage  in  the  rebel  ranks. 

"It  was  at  Malvern  Hill,"  writes  the  author  of 
War  Pictures  from  the  South,  "  that  General 
McClellan  displayed  his  talents  in  the  most  advan- 
tageous light.  Notwithstanding  his  enormous  losses, 
our  desperate  attempts  to  annihilate  the  Federal  host 
failed  to  accomplish  that  much-cherished  object  of 
our  whole  army ;  and  for  that  unfulfilled  wish,  tor- 
rents of  blood  were  prodigally  shed.  I  may  venture 
to  say,  that  if  McClellan  had  received  the  support 
that  had  been  promised  to  him,  he  might  have  given 
a  crushing  blow  to  the  Confederacy. 

manders,  addressed  to  General  George  B.  McClellan,  who  was 
then  on  board  a  gunboat  on  the  James  River,  several  miles  dis- 
tant from  the  scene  of  action."  He  continues,  "  I  was  on  duty 
on  the  station  on  Malvern  Hill,  from  an  early  hour  in  the  morn- 
ing until  near  noon."  As  the  actual  battle  had  not  then  com- 
menced, the  assertoin  by  this  individual  that  from  his  "own  per- 
sonal knowledge"  messages  were  sent  to  McClellan  on  board  the 
gunboat  "  during  the  heat  of  the  battle,"  is,  according  to  his  own 
showing,  an  unmitigated  falsehood.  He  adds,  "/  was  not  on 
duty  on  the  station  during  the  afternoon."  Now,  as  it  happens,  this 
was  the  very  time  the  conflict  of  the  day  took  place. 

There  is  an  old  adage,  "  Liars  should  have  good  memories."  It 
baa  never  been  more  truly  exemplified  than  in  these  instances. 


316  THE    SEVEN    DAYS'    BATTLES. 

"  When  General  McClellan  took  post  before  Rich- 
mond," the  same  writer  also  remarks,  "he  was  per- 
fectly well  aware  of  the  momentous  task  he  had 
before  him.  Knowing  the -enemy's  strength,  he 
never  treated  him  with  contempt ;  but  he  well 
knew  the  vast  importance  of  unity  and  self-confi- 
dence. It  was  not  his  fault  that  he  was  beaten 
before  Richmond ;  his  failure  must  be  attributed  to 
the  blindness  of  his  Government,  who  looked  upon 
the  foe  as  one  easily  to  be  vanquished.  When 
McClellan  had  placed  an  iron  collar  round  the  throat 
of  that  foe,  which  he  intended  to  draw  gradually 
tighter,  and  had  obtained  a  footing  so  close  to  Rich- 
mond that  he  could  send  his  cannon  balls  into  the 
very  centre  of  the  city,  the  Government  at  Wash- 
ington ought  to  have  concentrated  all  its  thoughts 
and  energies  to  the  one  great  object  of  sending 
McClellan  as  many  troops  as  would  enable  him  to 
assume  and  maintain  the  offensive." 

The  attempts  of  the  Confederates  to  annihilate  the 
Federal  army  now  terminated.  In  the  numerous 
contests  of  the  week,  they  could  only  claim  that  of 
Gaines's  Mill  as  a  victory.  The  Northern  losses 
during  the  six  days  of  the  retreat  were  15,249,  of 
which  number  1,582  were  killed,  7,709' wounded,  and 
5,958  missing.  The  Southern  losses  in  killed  and 
wounded  considerably  exceeded  these  numbers. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

EVACUATION    OP   THE   PENINSULA. 

The  Confederates  foiled — Arrival -at  Harrison's  Landing — Un- 
bounded confidence  in  the  commander — His  consummate  gen- 
eralship— Presidential  palliatives  and  promises — Address  to 
the  soldiers — McClellan  lays  his  views  before  the  President — 
New  general-in-chief — Malvern  Hill  retaken — Orders  to  evac- 
uate the  Peninsula — McClellan's  protest — Uncourteous  treat- 
ment— The  return  march — Disappointment  of  the  troops — The 
deserted  encampment — Men  of  straw — An  apparition — "Dan 
Webster's"  parting  salute — A  kind  word  for  the  army  solicited 
— Departure  from  the  Peninsula. 

"ATOTWITHSTANDING  the  complete  victory 
-**S  achieved  at  Malvern  Hill,  it  was  necessary  for 
the  national  army  to  fall  back  still  further  from 
Richmond,  so  that  it  might  reach  a  point  where 
supplies  could  be  received  with  certainty.  Harri- 
son's Landing  had  been  selected  by  the  commander 
for  the  new  position. 

"When  it  was  discovered  that  McClellan  had 
again  retired,  and  was  in  full  retreat,"  writes  the 
author  of  Battle- Fields  of  the  South,  "  Lee  instantly 
recommenced  the  advance,  although  it  rained  in 
floods.  But  the  Federals  seemed  to  have  vanished 
once  more  in  the  densely  timbered  swamp.  The 
outposts  saw  no  signs  of  them,  and  most  of  the  day 
was  lost  before  it  was  ascertained  whither  McClellan 


818       EVACUATION  OF  THE  PENINSULA. 

had  fled.  Towards  night  it  was  discovered  he  had 
conducted  his  whole  force  by  a  narrow  road  through 
a  thick,  swampy  wood,  several  miles  in  extent,  and 
was  safe  under  his  gunboats  at  Harrison's  Landing, 
having  occupied  the  neighboring  hills,  and  strongly 
fortified  them.  Our  advance  to  his  position  could 
be  made  but  by  one  roa'd, — that  which  he  had  trav- 
ersed,—and,  as  it  was  very  narrow,  and  swept  by 
numerous  artillery,  pursuit  was  impossible." 

The  place  to  which  the  army  retired  was  close  to 
the  house  in  which  President  Harrison  was  born, 
and  about  twenty-five  miles  from  Richmond  by  the 
road.  The  last  wagon  did  not  reach  it  till  after 
dark  on  the  3d,  and  the  rear-guard  did  not  move 
into  camp  until  every  thing  was  secure. 

When  the  troops  got  settled  in  their  new  encamp- 
ment, it  was  soon  evident  that  the  dread  scenes  of 
carnage  through  which  they  had  passed,  and  the 
fatigue  and  hardships  of  the  retreat,  had  not  shaken 
their  confidence  in  their  general.  Faith  in  him  had 
borne  them  along,  and  encouraged  them  to  sur- 
mount every  trial,  difficulty,  and  danger,  and  had 
been  the  means  of  keeping  up  their  spirits  and  dis- 
cipline. A  private  letter,  written  from  Harrison's 
Landing  ten  days  after  the  army  ar,rived  there,  and 
to  which  the  New  York  Times  gave  a  prominent 
place  in  its  columns,  recounts  the  terrible  trials 
passed  through,  and  the  ghastly  appearance  of  the 
men  at  the  close  of  the  contests,  caused  by  absence 


CONFIDENCE    IN   THE    COMMANDER.  319 

of  rest  and  proper  nourishment, — having  subsisted 
for  several  days  on  nothing  but  hard  bread  and 
coffee, — and  then  says :  "Our  confidence  in  Mc- 
Clellan  is  unbounded.  No  one  in  the  army  has  had 
his  faith  in  our  young  general  impaired.  Retreat  we 
must  whenever  Davis  chooses  to  precipitate  his  army 
upon  us.  That  we  were  any  of  us  saved  is  the  re- 
sult only  of  McClellan's  genius.  That  the  country 
has  now  an  Army  of  the  Potomac,  is  owing  entirely 
to  the  discipline  of  the  men  and  the  faith  in  their 
captains.  Every  reviler  of  Me  Clellan  is  only  aiding 
the  South.  There  are  only  two  sides  to  this  matter ; 
no  neutral  ground;  any  hesitating  or  qualifying  is 
only  so  much  treason."  The  writer  further  remarks, 
that  the  whole  cause  of  the  retreat  "  is  easily  summed 
up :  we  were  outnumbered,  as  we  always  have  been ;" 
and  adds,  "but  we  have  one  consoling  reflection, 
they  (the  rebels)  could  not  drive  us  from  a  single 
field  while  the  battle  progressed.  The  war  will  be 
prolonged,  foreign  intervention  rendered  probable, 
and  the  debt  increased ;  to  all  of  which  I  only  ask, 
4  Why  were  we  not  re-enforced  in  time  ?' " 

The  New  ITor'k  Times  editorially  remarks  of 
McClellan's  generalship  in  these  actions  :  "  That  he 
saved  the  army  against  such  odds  and  under  such 
circumstances,  and  that  he  has  been  able  to  place  it 
upon  a  new  base  of  operations  from  which  he  may 
renew  his  attack  upon  the  rebel  capital  with  in- 
creased chances  of  success,  affords  such  proofs  of 


320  EVACUATION    OF    THE    PENINSULA. 

consummate  generalship  as  few  living  soldiers  can 
show.  McClellan  was  not  deceived,  but  he  was 
helpless.  He  knew  that  the  rebels  outnumbered  him, 
and  he  was  thus  placed  in  a  position  of  the  utmost 
peril,  from  which  extrication  might  seem  almost 
impossible."  The  Times,  in  over-zeal  for  its  political 
party,  is  now  a  reviler  of  General  McClellan,  and, 
thus,  according  to  the  letter  in  its  pages,  "  is  only 
aiding  the  South." 

President  Lincoln  now  began  to  discover  the  ter- 
rible mistake  he  had  made,  and,  as  a  palliative  for 
the  injury  he  had  inflicted  upon  McClellan  and  his 
brave  army,  frequently  forwarded  to  the  General 
expressions  of  admiration,  coupled  with  morceaux 
of  military  advice  and  promises  of  support.  We 
append  a  few  extracts  : 

June  28. — "  Save  your  army,  at  all  events.  *Will 
send  re-enforcements  as  fast  as  we  can.  Of  course 
they  cannot  be  with  you  to-day,  to-morrow,  or  next 
day.  ...  I  feel  any  misfortune  to  you  and  your 
army  quite  as  keenly  as  you  feel  it  yourself.  .  .  . 
It  is  the  nature  of  the  case,  and  neither  you  nor  the 
Government  is  to  blame." 

July  1. — "Maintain  your  ground  if  you  can,  but 
save  the  army  at  all  events,  even  if  you  fall  back  to 
Fort  Monroe.  We  still  have  strength  enough  in  the 
country,  and  will  bring  it  out." 

July  2. — "  If  you  think  you  are  not  strong  enough 
to  take  Richmond  just  now,  I  do  not  ask  you  to. 


PRESIDENTIAL    PROMISES.  321 

Try  just  now  to  save  the  army,  material  and  person- 
nel, and  I  will  strengthen  it  for  the  offensive  again 
as  fast  as  I  can." 

July  3, — "  I  am  satisfied  that  yourself,  officers,  and 
men  have  done  the  best  you  could.  All  accounts 
say  better  fighting  was  never  done.  Ten  thousand 
thanks  for  it." 

July  5. — "Be  assured  the  heroism  and  skill  of 
yourself,  officers,  and  men,  is  and  forever  will  be 
appreciated.  If  you  can  hold  your  present  position, 
we  shall  hive  the  enemy  yet." 

These  promises,  made  in  some  of  the  most  solemn 
hours  of  the  nation's  life,  McClellan  was  fain  to  be- 
lieve would  be  fulfilled;  consequently,  in  the  follow- 
ing address,  issued  to  his  soldiers  on  the  nation's 
birthday,  he  led  them  to  hopes  of  future  conquest. 
Alas  !  he  rested  his  strength  upon  a  broken  reed. 

"  SOLDIERS  OF  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC  : 
Your  achievements  of  the  last  ten  days  have  illus- 
trated the  valor  and  endurance  of  the  American  sol- 
dier. Attacked  by  superior  forces,  and  without  hope 
of  re-enforcements,  you  have  succeeded  in  changing 
your  base  of  operations  by  a  flank  movement,  always 
regarded  as  the  most  hazardous  of  military  expedi- 
ents. You  have  saved  all  your  material,  all  your 
trains,  and  all  your  guns,  except  a  few  lost  in  battle, 
taking  in  return  guns  and  colors  from  the  enemy. 
Upon  your  march,  you  have  been  assailed  day  after 
day  with  desperate  fury,  by  men  of  the  same  race 
14* 


322  EVACUATION    OF   THE    PENINSULA. 

and  nation,  skilfully  massed  and  led.  Under  every 
disadvantage  of  number,  and  necessarily  of  position 
also,  you  have  in  every  conflict  beaten  back  your  foes 
with  enormous  slaughter.  Your  conduct  ranks  you 
among  the  celebrated  armies  of  history.  No  one 
will  now  question  that  each  of  you  may  always  with 
pride  say :  *  I  belong  to  the  army  of  the  Potomac.' 
You  have  reached  the  new  base,  complete  in  organi- 
zation and  unimpaired  in  spirit.  The  enemy  may  at 
any  moment  attack  you.  We  are  prepared  to  meet 
them.  I  have  personally  established  your  lines.  Let 
them  come,  and  we  will  convert  their  repulse  into  a 
final  defeat.  Your  Government  is  strengthening  you 
with  the  resources  of  a  great  people.  On  this,  our 
nation's  birthday,  we  delare  to  our  foes,  who  are 
rebels  against  the  best  interests  of  mankind,  that  this 
army  shall  enter  the  capital  of  the  so-called  Confed- 
eracy;  that  our  national  Constitution  shall  prevail, 
aud  that  the  Union,  which  can  alone  insure  internal 
peace  and  external  security  to  each  State,  '  must  and 
shall  be  preserved,'  cost  what  it  may  in  time,  treas- 
ure, and  blood." 

On  the  4th,  Mr.  Lincoln  wrote  McClellan  to  the 
effect  that  it  was  impossible  to  re-enforce  him  materi- 
ally for  several  weeks,  but  that  he  would  receive 
ten  thousand  troops  from  Burnside  very  soon,  and 
five  thousand  from  Hunter  a  little  later.  When 
Burnside's  force  arrived  at  Fortress  Monroe,  a  few 
clays  afterwards,  its  destination  was  changed  from 


VISIT    OF   THE   PRESIDENT.  323 

Harrison's  Landing  to  Acquia  Creek !  In  the  same 
letter,  he  kindly  said :  "  If  at  any  time  you  feel  able 
to  take  the  offensive,  you  are  not  restrained  from 
doing  so."  What  a  mockery  !  As  well  might  he  clip 
the  wings  of  an  eagle,  and  then  bid  the  bird  to  fly. 

General  McClellan  felt  impressed  with  the  belief 
that  it  was  incumbent  upon  him  to  lay  before  the  Pres- 
ident his  general  views  concerning  the  then  existing 
state  of  the  rebellion,  although  they  did  not  strictly 
relate  to  the  position  of  his  ajrmy,  or  strictly  come 
within  the  scope  of  his  official  duties.  He  therefore, 
on  July  7th,  wrote  Mr.  Lincoln  on  the  subject,  pre- 
facing the  communication  with  the  assertion  that 
the  views  amounted  to  convictions,  and  were  deeply 
impressed  upon  his  mind  and  heart.  The  President 
visited  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  on  the  following 
day,  which  gave  the  General  an  opportunity  of  deliv- 
ering the  letter  in  person.  This  was  done  on  the 
deck  of  the  steamboat  at  Harrison's  bar,  and  the 
communication  was  there  and  then  read  to  the  Presi- 
dent by  its  writer.  Mr.  Lincoln  did  not  express  any 
dissent  to  the  patriotic  and  high-toned  principles  it 
placed  before  him  for  consideration ;  but  the  political 
history  of  the  past  two  years  sufficiently  evidences 
that  if  they  were  then  implanted  in  his  heart,  the  soil 
was  too  barren  to  admit  of  their  taking  root.  In 
this  letter  the  General  remarks  : 

"Our  cause  must  never  be  abandoned — it  is  the 
cause  of  free  institutions  and  self-government.  The 


324  EVACUATION    OF   THE    PENINSULA. 

Constitution  and  the  Union  must  be  preserved,  what- 
ever may  be  the  cost  in  time,  treasure,  and  blood. 
If  Secession  is  successful,  other  dissolutions  are 
cJearly  to  be  seen  in  the  future.  Let  neither  military 
disaster,  political  faction,  nor  foreign  war  shake  your 
settled  purpose  to  enforce  the  equal  operation  of  the 
laws  of  the  United  States  upon  the  people  of  every 
State.  .  .  . 

"  This  rebellion  has  assumed  the  character  of  a  war; 
as  such  it  should  be  regarded,  and  it  should  be  con- 
ducted upon  the  highest  principles  known  to  Chris- 
tian civilization.  It  should  not  be  a  war  looking  to 
the  subjugation  of  the  people  of  any  State,  in  any 
event.  It  should  not  be  at  all  a  war  upon  population, 
but  against  armed  forces  and  political  organization. 
Neither  confiscation  of  property,  political  executions 
of  persons,  territorial  organizations  of  States,  or 
forcible  abolition  of  slavery,  should  be  contemplated 
for  a  moment.  In  prosecuting  the  war,  all  private 
property  and  unarmed  persons  should  be  strictly 
protected,  subject  only  to  the  necessity  of  military 
operations.  All  private  property  taken  for  military 
use  should  be  paid  or  receipted  for;  pillage  and 
waste  should  be  treated  as  high  crimes ;  all  unneces- 
sary trespass  sternly  prohibited,  and  offensive  de- 
meanor by  the  military  towards  citizens,  promptly 
rebuked.  Military  arrests  should  not  be  tolerated, 
except  in  places  where  active  hostilities  exist ;  and 
oaths  not  required  by  enactments  constitutionally 


LETTER   TO   THE    PRESIDENT.  82 5 

made,  should  be  neither  demanded  nor  received. 
Military  government  should  be  confined  to  the  pres- 
ervation of  public  order  and  the  protection  of  politi- 
cal right.  Military  power  should  not  be  allowed  to 
interfere  with  the  relations  of  servitude,  either  by 
supporting  or  impairing  the  authority  of  the  master, 
except  for  repressing  disorder,  as  in  other  cases. 
Slaves  contraband  under  the  Act  of  Congress,  seek- 
ing military  protection,  should  receive  it.  The  right 
of  the  Government  to  appropriate  permanently  to  its 
own  service  claims  to  slave  labor  should  be  asserted, 
and  the  right  of  the  owner  to  compensation  therefor 
should  be  recognized.  .  .  . 

"  In  carrying  out  any  system  of  policy  which  you 
may  form,  you  will  require  a  commander-in-chief  of 
the  army — one  who  possesses  your  confidence,  un- 
derstands your  views,  and  who  is  competent  to 
execute  your  orders  by  directing  the  military  forces 
of  the  nation  to  the  accomplishment  of  the  objects 
by  you  proposed.  I  do  not  ask  that  place  for  my- 
self. I  am  willing  to  serve  you  in  such  position  as 
you  may  assign  me,  and  I  will  do  so  as  faithfully  as 
ever  subordinate  served  superior. 

"  I  may  be  on  the  brink  of  eternity,  and,  as  I  hope 
forgiveness  from  my  Maker,  I  have  written  this  letter 
with  sincerity  toward  you,  and  from  love  for  my 
country." 

The  President,  a  couple  of  days  after  visiting 
Harrison's  Landing,  gave  the  chief  command  of  the 


326  EVACUATION    OP   THE    PENINSULA. 

armies  of  the  Union  to  General  Halleck.  This  ap- 
pointment doubtless  led  McClellan  to  the  conclusion, 
that  as  he  would  now  have  to  deal  with  a  soldier, 
who  would  be  more  likely  to  understand  the  nature 
of  his  position  than  a  civilian,  a  more  cheerful  aspect 
of  affairs  would  ensue.  However,  if  he  did  think 
so,  he  was  much  mistaken.  One  of  the  first  acts  of 
the  new  general-in-chief  was  to  issue  instructions  for 
the  sick  to  be  sent  home,  so  that  the  army  might  be 
the  better  enabled  "  to  move  in  any  direction."  This 
was  presumed  to  contemplate  a  forward  movement, 
and,  in  order  to  prepare  the  way,  an  expedition  was 
dispatched  in  the  direction  of  Richmond,  and,  on 
the  5th  of  August,  Malvern  Hill  retaken.  A  few 
days  previous  to  this,  Coggin's  Point,  on  the  oppo- 
site side  of  the  James  River,  was  occupied  as  a  pre- 
ventative  against  the  enemy  shelling  the  encampment 
from  that  quarter.  The  object  of  the  order  was, 
however,  soon  apparent,  for  directions  were  immedi- 
ately afterwards  issued  for  the  transfer  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac  to  Acquia  Creek.  McClellan  at 
once  protested  against  this  change,  couching  his  re- 
monstrance in  candid  and  courteous  language,  to 
which  he  only  received  curt  and  uncourteous  re- 
plies. He  stated  to  the  General-in-Chief,  that  he 
must  confess  the  order  for  the  evacuation  of  the 
Peninsula  had  caused  him  the  greatest  pain  he  ever 
experienced;  he  was  convinced  that  the  change 
would  prove  disastrous  to  the  cause,  and  feared  it 


A    REMONSTRANCE.  327 

would  be  a  fatal  blow.  He  gave  his  reasons  for 
believing  the  Peninsula  to  be  the  best  field  of  opera- 
tions against  Richmond,  and  in  conclusion  remarked  : 

"  Clear  in  my  convictions  of  right,  strong  in  tLe 
consciousness  that  I  have  ever  been,  and  still  am 
actuated  solely  by  the  love  of  my  country,  knowing 
that  no  ambitious  or  selfish  motives  have  influenced 
me  from  the  commencement  of  this  war,  I  do  now, 
what  I  never  did  in  my  life  before — I  entreat  that 
this  order  may  be  rescinded. 

"  If  my  counsel  does  not  prevail,  I  will,  with  a 
sad  heart,  obey  your  orders  to  the  utmost  of  my 
power,  directing  to  the  movement,  which  I  clearly 
foresee  will  be  one  of  the  utmost  delicacy  and  diffi- 
culty, whatever  skill  I  may  possess.  Whatever  the 
result  may  be,  and  may  God  grant  that  I  am  mis- 
taken in  my  forebodings,  I  shall  at  least  have  the 
internal  satisfaction  that  I  have  written  and  spoken 
frankly,  and  have  sought  to  do  the  best  in  my  power 
to  avert  disaster  from  my  country." 

But  the  administration  was  deaf  to  the  promptings 
of  reason,  and  determined  that  the  order  should  not 
be  rescinded.  Difficulties  occurring  in  the  obtain- 
ment  of  transports,  McClellan  travelled  a  hundred 
miles  to  a  telegraph  station,  for  the  purpose  of  hold- 
ing speedy  and  direct  communication  with  General 
Halleck,  and  saving  the  time  that  would  otherwise 
be  consumed  by  the  transmission  of  messages  to  and 
from  the  camp  ;  but,  notwithstanding  the  importance 


328  EVACUATION    OF   THE   PENINSULA. 

of  the  business,  the  distance  travelled,  and  the  dis- 
tinction of  the  man  who  wished  to  hold  converse  with 
him,  the  General-in-Chief,  after  dispatching  a  single 
brief  message,  and  without  waiting  to  ascertain  the 
object  of  the  journey,  walked  out  of  the  office  at  the 
Washington  end  of  the  wire, — his  time,  doubtless, 
being  so  engrossed  by  official  duties  that  he  had 
none  to  bestow  upon  the  amenities  of  life. 

The  movement  of  the  army  from  Harrison's  Land- 
ing commenced  on  August  15th,  and  was  completed 
the  following  day.  The  troops  marched  by  way  of 
Williamsburg  to  Yorktown  and  Newport  News, 
from  which  two  last  places  they  were  forwarded  in 
transports  to  the  Potomac. 

When  orders  were  issued  to  the  soldiers  to  pre- 
pare for  the  movement,  they  were  received  with  loud 
cheers,  for  the  men  were  rejoiced  at  the  termina- 
tion of  their  suspense,  and  at  the  prospect  of  again 
soon  meeting  the  enemy.  They  anticipated  an  ad- 
vance towards  Richmond  for  the  purpose  of  co- 
operating with  General  Pope,  who  was  then  moving 
on  that  city  from  the  north.  But  when  informed  of 
the  destination,  their  spirits  were  depressed,  for 
they  could  not,  or  would  not  believe,  that  after  the 
sacrifices  they  had  sustained  upon  the  Peninsula, 
they  were  about  to  abandon  it.  They  could  not 
realize  the  fact  that  the  proud  Army  of  the  Poto- 
mac was  now  to  retrace  its  steps  and  return  to-the 
banks  of  the  river  from  which  it  derived  its  name. 


MEN    OF   STRAW.  329 

General  McClellan  and  his  personal  staff  were  the 
last  to  leave  Harrison's  Landing,  and  bid  farewell 
to  a  spot  to  be  forever  memorable  in  history  as  the 
vicinity  of  the  army's  most  brilliant  exploits.  It 
was  still  covered  with  the  marks  of  its  presence. 
A  scene  of  desolation  usurped  the  ground,  on 
which  had  been  recently  spread  the  tented  field, 
and  silence  reigned  where  the  bugle's  blast,  and  the 
rumbling  sound  of  the  drum,  had  before  been  heard. 
Sad  thoughts  ran  through  the  brains  of  those  who 
were  left  the  sole  occupants  of  the  place.  The  debris 
of  the  encampment  that  lay  around,  and  a  few  worn- 
out  and  sick  horses,  tormented  by  the  flies  that 
prowled  about,  were  not  cheering  objects  to  the 
vision. 

Before  following  in  the  wake  of  the  army,  the 
General  and  his  staff  paid  a  visit  to  the  deserted 
head-quarters  of  General  Franklin.  At  some  little 
distance  from  this  spot,  men  were  still  seen  on  picket 
duty ;  they  were,  however,  but  men  of  straw,  and  of 
such  a  peaceful  nature  that  they  would  injure  neither 
an  enemy  nor  a  friend.  The  soldiers  had'  stuffed  a 
lot  of  old  uniforms,  and  placed  old  muskets  in  their 
arms,  wherewith  to  salute  the  rebels  when  they  came 
to  take  possession. 

During  the  short  stay  here,  an  incident  occurred 
which  served,  for  a  moment,  to  divert  the  attention 
of  the  party  from  their  depression.  Whilst  they 
were  stretched  out  on  the  ground,  under  the  shade 


330  EVACUATION    OF  THE   PENINSULA. 

of  some  trees,  a  strange  and  uninvited  visitor  ap- 
proached them,  and  the  singularity  of  his  appearance 
gave  rise  to  a  roar  of  laughter.  A  bundle  of  ani- 
mated canvas  was  all  that  could  be  seen,  from  which 
a  couple  of  large  eyes  calmly  surveyed  the  party. 
A  couple  of  long  ears,  and  twice  that  number  of  legs, 
protruded  from  the  canvas  sack.  The  visitor  spoke 
not  with  his  lips,  but  his  eyes  bespoke  that  he  im- 
plored relief.  The  soldiers  had  sown  up  in  a  tight 
canvas  covering,  so  that  he  could  be  protected  from 
the  flies,  and  so  that  he  might  be  appropriately  at- 
tired to  receive  the  rebels — a  donkey! 

When  General  McClellan  left  the  Landing,  he  was 
mounted  on  his  horse  "Dan  Webster,"  a  very  quiet 
steed,  and  a  great  favorite  of  both  its  rider  and  the 
men.  On  this  occasion,  however,  "  Dan"  forgot  his 
usual  good  'manners  and  regular,  steady  habits.  As 
the  party  moved .  away  from  the  place,  where  they 
had  lingered  long  after  the  departure  of  the  rest  of 
the  army,  the  animal  took  to  a  desperate  fit  of  kick- 
ing with  his  heels,  which  could  only  be  construed 
into  a  parting  salute  to  the  enemy. 

When  the  Peninsula  campaign  terminated,  Mc- 
Clellan thought  the  time  an  appropriate  one  for  the 
General-in-Chief  to  give,  in  general  orders,  some  ap- 
preciative expression  of  the  services  of  the  army 
during  its  progress.  He,  therefore,  forwarded  to 
him  the  following  dispatch  : 

"  Please  say  a  kind  word  to  my  army,  that  I  can 


A   TOUCHING    APPEAL.  331 

repeat  to  them  in  General  Orders,  in  regard  to  their 
conduct  at  Yorktown,  Williamsburg,  West  Point, 
Hanover  Court-House,  and  on  the  Chickahorainy,  as 
well  as  in  regard  to  the  seven  days  and  the  recent 
retreat.  No  one  has  ever  said  any  thing  to  cheer 
them  but  myself.  Say  nothing  about  me;  merely 
give  my  men  and  officers  credit  for  what  they  have 
done.  It  will  do  you  much  good,  and  will  strengthen 
you  much  with  them,  if  you  issue  a  handsome  order 
to  them  in  regard  to  what  they  have  accomplished. 
They  deserve  it." 

As  this  touching  appeal  neither  received  the 
courtesy  of  a  reply,  nor  brought  forth  the  de- 
sired order,  in  justice  to  General  Halleck,  we  may 
presume  that  it  di<J  not  reach  him.  If  it  had,  the 
characteristics  of  "an  officer  and  a  gentleman"  in- 
herent in  a  soldier  of  his  rank,  would  certainly  have 
impelled  him  to  notice  it  either  one  way  or  the 
other. 

After  superintending  the  embarkation  of  his  troops, 
and  giving  directions  for  strengthening  the  fortifica- 
tions of  Yorktown,  General  McClellan  sailed  from 
Fortress  Monroe  on  the  evening  of  August  23d,  for 
Acquia  Creek,  where  he  arrived  at  daylight  on  the 
following  morning. 


' 


CHAFER  XIX. 

ANTIETAM. 

The  Army  of  Virginia  and  its  commander — A  new  phase  iu 
military  science. — The  saddle  a  base  of  operations — "My 
Plan"  put  into  operation — It  does  not  succeed — About  re-en- 
forcements— A  commander  without  an  army — A  change — 
McClellan's  assistance  required  —  A  constant  "friend" — 
Favors  asked,  and  granted — In  command  again — A  wel^- 
come  return — In  Maryland — Triumphant  entry  into  Fred- 
erick—  South  Mountain  —  Harper's  Ferry  —  Reconnoitring 
under  difficulties — Antietam — A  refractory  General — The 
losses — Flight  of  the  enemy. 

~T  T~PON  the  same  day  that  the  Confederate  host 
V<  was  hurled  against  McClellan's  army,  and  com- 
menced that  series  of  attacks  which,  before  the  end 
of  a  week,  led  to  the  withdrawal  of  the  national 
forces  from  before  Richmond,  the  troops  under  Mc- 
Dowell, Banks,  and  Frempnt,  were  consolidated  into 
one  army,  and  placed  under  the  command  of  John 
Pope,  a  general  whose  reports  and  dispatches  had 
rendered  him  popular,  from  his  having  infused  into 
their  composition  an  air  of  romance,  which  made 
them  read  not  unlike  a  highly-wrought  work  of 
fiction. 

This  force,  designated  the  Army  of  Virginia,  was 
deputed  to  carry  out  the  President's  plan  of  military 


MODERN    WARFARE.  333 

operations,  and,  regardless  of  the  difficulties  that 
crossed  the  path,  to  fight  its  way  into  the  heart  of 
Secessia.  The  campaign  commenced  strictly  in  ac 
cordance  with  the  wisdom  that  dictated  it ;  the  limits 
within  which  civilization  had  confined  hostile  action 
were  disregarded,  and  non-combatants  made  to  suffer 
equally  with  their  countrymen  in  arms  ;  the  princi- 
ples of  warfare,  that  experienced  soldiers  had  created 
into  a  science,  set  at  naught ;  and,  probably  under 
the  belief  that  "  there  is  nothing  like  leather,"  the 
saddle  chosen  as  a  base  of  operations.  The  chariot 
of  war  was  to  be  propelled  over  Southern  soil,  like 
a  great  Juggernaut,  crushing  beneath  its  weighty 
wheels  guilty  and  innocent,  without  discrimination, 
and  leaving  in  its  track  mangled  limbs  and  devas- 
tated lands. 

Re-enforcements,  which  could  not  be  found  for  Mc- 
Clellan's  plan,  were  readily  forthcoming  for  that 
which  General  Pope  was  to  carry  out — even  McClel- 
lan  himself  was  stripped  of  his  soldiers  to  help  to 
promote  its  success,  and  when  he  landed  upon  the 
banks  of  the  Potomac,  was  almost  a.  commander 
without  an  army. 

The  "plan"  did  not  succeed.  The  South,  driven 
to  desperation  by  the  uncivilized  and  unsoldierlike 
spirit  introduced  into  the  crusade,  marshalled  its  best 
men  to  oppose  it,  and  decreed  that  Pope  and  his 
officers  were  disentitled  to  the  ordinary  privileges  of 
belligerents.  When  the  rival  armies  met,  that  gen- 


334  AlfTIETAM. 

eral  soon  discovered  that  winning  battles  on  hard 
Virginian  ground  was  more  difficult  than  making 
conquests  in  the  flowery  realms  of  the  imagination. 
Defeat  and  retreat  followed  each  other  in  rapid  suc- 
cession, and  when  the  historic  field  of  Manassas  was 
reached,  the  decisive  battle  of  his  campaign  was 
fought,  and  after  Bull  Run  was  a  second  time  sprink- 
led with  the  blood  of  slaughtered  soldiers,  the  de- 
feated Army  of  Virginia  fled  for  refuge  to  the  for- 
tifications, which  the  foresight  of  McClellan  had 
caused  to  be  erected  around  Washington. 

The  latter  general,  two  days  after  reaching  Acquia 
Creek,  was  ordered  to  Alexandria,  to  superintend 
the  forwarding  of  re-enforcements  to  Pope,  of  whose 
whereabouts,  or  that  of  the  corps  under  his  com- 
mand, it  was  difficult  to  learn. 

On  August  28th,  McClellan  suggested  to  the 
President  that  either  all  available  forces  should  be 
concentrated  for  the  purpose  of  opening  communi- 
cations with  Pope,  who  was  cut  off  from  Washington 
by  "  Stonewall"  Jackson,  or  that  Pope  should  be  left 
to  get  out  of  his  scrape,  and  means  at  once  adopted 
to  make  the  capital  perfectly  safe.  He  added,  "tell 
me  what  you  wish  me  to  do,  and  I  will  do  all  in  my 
power  to  accomplish  it.  I  wish  to  know  what  my 
orders  and  authority  are.  I  ask  for  nothing ;  but 
will  obey  whatever  orders  you  give.  I  only  ask  a 
prompt  decision,  that  I  may  at  once  give  the  neces- 
sary orders.  It  will  not  do  to  delay  any  longer." 


A  SOLDIER'S  BEQUEST.  335 

The  President  chose  the  first  course,  and  McClellan 
at  once  proceeded  to  carry  it  out ;  but,  upon  after- 
wards learning  that  the  enemy  were  moving  in 
strong  force  towards  the  chain-bridge,  the  troops 
already  on  the  march  were  halted,  to  await  the  result 
of  reconnoissances  sent  out  to  ascertain  the  accuracy 
of  the  report.  They  afterwards  marched  to  the  aid 
of  Pope,  and  other  troops  followed ;  but  all  encoun 
tered  much  delay,  from  the  absence  of  necessary 
transportation  wagons,  and  in  some  cases  had  to  pro- 
ceed without.  McClellan  was,  as  a  matter  of  course, . 
condemned  for  not  accomplishing  certain  work, 
which  the  incapacity  of  others,  over  whom  he  had 
no  controlx  prevented. 

On  the  night  of  the  30th,  only  Couch's  division 
remained  with  the  General,  and  orders  were  already 
issued  for  its  disposal.  He  then  telegraphed  to 
Halleck :  "  I  cannot  express  to  you  the  pain  and 
mortification  I  have  experienced  to-day,  in  listening 
to  the  distant  sound  of  the  firing  of  my  men.  As  I 
can  be  of  no  further  use  here,  I  respectfully  ask  that, 
if  there  is  a  probability  of  the  conflict  being  renewed 
to-morrow,  I  may  be  permitted  to  go  to  the  scene 
of  battle  with  my  staff,  merely  to  be  with  my  own 
men,  if  nothing  more.  They  will  fight  none  the 
worse  for  my  being  with  them.  If  it  is  not  deemed 
best  to  intrust  me  with  the  command  even  of  my  own 
army,  I  simply  ask  to  be  permitted  to  share  their  fate 
on  the  field  of  battle.  Please  reply  to  this  to-night. 


336  ANTIETAM. 

I  have  been  engaged  for  the  last  few  hours  in  doing 
what  I  can  to  make  arrangements  for  the  wounded. 
I  have  started  out  all  the  ambulances  now  landed. 
As  I  have  sent  my  escort  to  the  front,  I  would  be 
glad  to  take  some  of  Gregg's  cavalry  -with  me,  if 
allowed  to  go." 

Although  the  substance  of  this  dispatch  was  com- 
municated to  the  General-in-Chief  the  same  evening, 
he  did  not  think  it  necessary  to  read  and  reply  to  it 
till  late  the  following  morning,  and  then  only  stated 
that  he  could  give  no  orders  without  seeing  the 
President. 

However,  instead  of  any  command  being  given  to 
McClellan  at  this  time,  nearly  all  the  troops  over 
which  he  had  then  merely  nominal  control  were 
withdrawn  from  him ;  for,  by  an  order,  issued  August 
30th,  by  authority  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  it  was 
directed  that  "  General  McClellan  commands  that 
portion  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  that  has  not 
been  sent  forward  to  General  Pope's  command."  He 
was  thus  left  with  only  his  personal  staff,  about  one 
hundred  men,  and  the  few  troops  remaining  near 
Fortress  Monroe.  To  show  the  unity  of  action 
which  existed  between  the  military  bureaux  at  Wash- 
ington, it  is  but  necessary  to  mention  that  at  ten 
o'clock  on  the  following  night,  31st,  General  Halleck 
stated,  in  reference  to  this  withdrawal,  "  I  have  not 
seen  the  order." 

Events  beyond  the  Potomac  at  length  becoming 


FAVORS  ASKED  AND  GRANTED.        337 

disastrous  to  the  national  cause,  the  ungracious  Hal- 
leek  was  compelled  to  seek  for  aid  from  the  man  to 
whom  he  had  refused  it.  On  the  30th  the  second 
defeat  of  Bull  Run  took  place.  On  the  following 
morning,  the  General-in-Chief  telegraphed  to  Mc- 
Clellan,  "  I  beg  of  you  to  assist  me  in  this  crisis  with 
your  ability  and  experience.  I  am  entirely  tired 
out."  Next  day,  September  1st,  the  latter  repaired 
to  Washington,  and  was  verbally  instructed  by  Hal- 
leek  to  take  command  of  the  defences  of  the  capital. 
In  an  interview  had  the  same  day  with  the  Presi- 
dent, who  again  desired  his  aid  in  his  emergency, 
McClellan  was  told  by  Mr.  Lincoln  that  he  had 
"  always  (?)  been  a  friend"  of  his,  and  was  asked,  as 
a  "  special  favor,"  to  use  his  influence  over  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  which,  he  had  reason  to  believe,  did 
not  cheerfully  co-operate  with  and  support  General 
Pope.  How  were  the  mighty  fallen,  suppliant  at  the 
hands  of  the  man  they  had  so  much  injured !  The 
dictates  of  human  nature  would  have  induced  many 
persons  to  decline,  acceding  to  the  requests  of  such 
"friends;"  but  the  promptings  of  McClellan' s  heart 
told  him  that  it  was  his  country  that  again  demand- 
ed his  services,  and  they  were  readily  accorded.  He 
was  asked  by  the  President  to  telegraph  to  "  Fitz- 
John  Porter,  or  some  other  of  his  friends,"  and  try 
to  do  away  with  any  feeling  which  might  exist,  as 
he  alone  could  rectify  the  evil.  Though  McClellan 

did  not  for  one  moment  believe  that  officer  had  been, 
15 


338  ANTIETAM. 

at  this  or  any  other  time,  or  ever  would  be,  "  derelict 
in  the  performance  of  his  duty  to  the  nation  and  its 
cause,"  he  dispatched  a  message,  requesting  him  and 
all  his  friends  to  render  the  utmost  aid  in  their 
power  to  General  Pope,  to  which  he  received  the 
reply  that  they  had  and  would  continue  to  accord 
such  assistance,  and  that  their  killed,  wounded,  and 
enfeebled  troops  attested  their  devoted  duty. 

On  the  2d  the  army  was  in  full  retreat  toward  the 
capital,  having  fought  the  enemy  on  the  previous 
day  at  Chantilly.  McClellan  was  instructed  to  go 
out  to  meet  it,  take  command  when  the  troops 
approached  the  works,  and  put  them  in  the  best 
position  for  defence.  Every  thing  was,  in  fact, 
intrusted  to  him.  It  was  at  the  same  time  officially 
announced  that  he  would  "  have  command  of  the 
fortifications  of  Washington,  and  of  all  the  troops 
for  the  defence  of  the  capital."  On  this  day,  too, 
General  Pope  desired  to  be  relieved  from  command 
— a  request  which  the  President  did  not  think  it 
advisable  to  refuse. 

When  McClellan  inspected  the  troops  and  fortifi- 
cations on  the  south  side  of  the  Potomac,  he  was 
received  by  both  officers  and  men  with  unbounded 
enthusiasm.  His  presence  acted  magically  upon 
them ;  despondency  was  replaced  by  confidence,  and 
all  were  glad  that  he  was  again  to  direct  them.  The 
announcement  of  the  appointment  was  also  joyfully 
hailed  by  the  equally  desponding  people. 


MAKCH    INTO    MARYLAND.  339 

It  was  anticipated  that  the  victorious  Confederates 
would  attack  Washington,  and  McClellan  made  every 
preparation  for  its  defence.  But  rather  than  hurl  his 
troops  against  the  works  and  their  garrisons,  now 
commanded  by  a  general  whose  ability  he  bad  tested, 
Lee  preferred  marching  into  Maryland,  in  the  hope 
that  he  would  find  the  people  of  that  State  ready  to 
join%eir  destinies  with  those  of  the  South.  Cross- 
ing the  Potomac  near  the  Point  of  Rocks,  he  pro- 
ceeded to  Frederick,  where,  on  September  8th,  he 
issued  a  proclamation  to  the  people  of  Maryland, 
announcing  that  he  had  entered  the  State  for  the 
purpose  of  restoring  her  to  freedom,  of  rescuing 
her  citizens  from  the  thraldom  under  which  they  had 
been  placed  by  Northern  bayonets,  and  of  giving 
them  an  opportunity  freely  to  decide  for  themselves, 
whether  they  would  join  the  Southern  Confederacy 
or  not.  The  reception  he  received,  however,  was 
not  so  cordial  as  he  had  anticipated.  Maryland  was 
true  to  the  Union. 

The  new  aspect  of  affairs  enlarged  the  sphere  of 
McClellan's  operations,  and  rendered  an  active  cam- 
paign necessary  for  the  purpose  of  covering  Balti- 
more, preventing  the  invasion  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
driving  the  rebels  from  Maryland.  His  force  now 
consisted  of  the  armies  of  the  Potomac  and  Virginia, 
and  the  troops  under  General  Burnside.  Leaving  a 
sufficient  number  to  guard  the  Capital,  the  remainder 
were  dispatched  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy.  On  the 


340  ANTIETAM. 

7th,  McClellan  left  Washington  with  the  same  ob- 
ject, and  whilst  on  his  way  received  a  telegram 
from  the  President,  conveying  information  as  to  cer- 
tain proceedings  of  the  enemy,  and  the  request, 
"  Please  do  not  let  him  get  off  without  being  hurt." 

On  the  12th,  the  advance  under  Burnside,  after  a 
brisk  skirmish  at  the  outskirts  of  the  city  and  in  the 
streets,  occupied  Frederick,  which  place  the  rebels 
had  commenced  to  evacuate  two  days  before.  The 
main  body  of  the  army  entered  it  on  the  following 
day.  General  McClellan  was  honored  with  a  truly 
triumphal  reception.  Old  and  young,  rich  and  poor, 
welcomed  him  with  beaming  faces  and  cheering 
shouts;  the  ladies  decked  both  the  hero  and  his  horse 
with  wreaths  of  flowers,  and  little  children  were  held 
up  to  hand  him  bouquets.  In  fact,  so  bountiful  were 
the  people  with  their  floral  offerings,  that  the  Gen- 
eral and  his  staff,  with  their  steeds,  were  nearly 
enveloped  in  them.  From  many  a  house,  too,  the 
national  standard  was  waved  in  welcome  to  the  man 
whose  unfaltering  patriotism  had  so  lately  been  ex- 
hibited in  the  cheerfulness  with  which  he  again 
assumed  command,  notwithstanding  the  indignities 
to  which  he  had  been  subjected. 

The  troops  were  rapidly  pushed  forward  so  that 
the  passage  of  the  South  Mountain  range  could  be 
forced,  and  on  Sunday,  the  1 4th,  the  opposing  armies 
came  into  collision  at  Crampton's  and  Turner's  Gaps, 
and  those  important  military  positions  carried. 


PURSUIT    OF   THE    REBELS.  341 

Harper's  Ferry  was  at  this  time  besieged  by  Jack- 
son, and  it  was  necessary  to  force  the  passage  of  this 
range  before  the  beleaguered  garrison  could  be  re- 
lieved. Colonel  Miles,  who  had  command  of  it,  how- 
ever, disgracefully  surrendered  the  place,  on  Monday 
morning,  when  aid  was  almost  close  at  hand.  We 
have  no  room  to  enter  into  a  survey  of  this  case, 
which  has  afforded  such  a  theme  for  discussion. 
Two  things  are,  however,  evident :  if  McClellan's 
advice  had  been  followed,  the  entire  garrison  would 
have  been  able  to  escape  their  captors ;  and  General 
Halle  ck,  in  attributing  to  him  delay  in  rendering  the 
required  aid,  forgot  the  fact  that  the  progress  of  the 
army  had  been  retarded  by  his  dispatches. 

Early  on  Monday  morning,  the  Federals  pushed 
forward  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy,  with  the  inten- 
tion of  attacking  him  again  on  that  day,  but  the 
rapidity  of  his  retreat  prevented  it. 

The  General,  on  this  day,  was  favored  with  the 
following  message  from  the  President:  "Your  dis- 
patch of  to-day  received.  God  bless  you,  and  all 
with  you.  Destroy  the  rebel  army,  if  possible." 

During  the  day,  whilst  McClellan  and  his  staff 
were  halting  for  a  short  time  at  Boonsboro,  word 
was  brought  that  the  rebels  had  come  to  a  stand  on 
the  opposite  bank  of  the  Autietam,  where  they  were 
forming  in  line  of  battle.  •  Without  delay,  the  com- 
mander hurried  to  the  front,  to  ascertain  the  dis- 
position of  the  enemy's  forces.  As  he  passed  the 


342  ANTIETAM. 

marching  columns,  he  was  lustily  cheered  by  his 
soldiers,  who  said  to  one  another,  "  there  goes  George 
B. ;  it  is  all  right."  The  cavalcade  that  accompanied 
him  consisted  of  not  less  than  four  hundred  horse- 
men, and  comprised  not  only  his  own  staff,  but  those 
of  Burnside,  Franklin,  and  Sumner.  When  some  dis- 
tance in  advance  of  the  rest  of  the  army,'  and  near  to 
Antietam,  the  party  rode  to  the  brow  of  a  bill,  for 
the  purpose  of  obtaining  a  good,  view  of  the  opposite 
side  of  the  stream,  upon  reaching  which  the  enemy 
unmasked  a  battery,  and  rained  upon  them  a  storm 
of  grape  and  canister.  McClellan,  unwilling  to  ex- 
pose his  escort  to  this  deadly  fire,  descended  with 
them  to  a  spot  sheltered  from  the  enemy's  view. 

It  was,  however,  absolutely  necessary  that  the 
General  should  make  himself  thoroughly  acquainted 
with  the  position  of  the  foe,  and  the  nature  of  the 
field  upon  which,  in  all  probability,  he  would  be 
called  to  fight  him;  but  he  would  not  expose  his 
friends  to  danger. 

"  I  will  return  to  the  hill  and  make  a  reconnois- 
sance,  whilst  you  stay  here,"  he  quietly  remarked ; 
and  then  ascended  the  hill  on  foot  and  alone,  carry- 
ing with  him  his  telescope.  Before  proceeding  far, 
he  heard  a  footstep  following  him,  which  proved  to 
be  that  of  a  member  of  his  staff,  who,  with 'the  best 
of  intentions,  desired  to  accompany  him,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  rendering  assistance,  but  McClellan  impera- 
tively commanded  him  to  return.  For  full  twenty 


A    DARING    RECOXNOISSANCK.  343 

minutes  the  General  remained  upon  the  brow  of  the 
hill,  resting  on  one  knee,  while  he  scanned  the  ene- 
my's position  through  his  glass.  During  the  whole 
of  this  time,  a  heavy  hail  of  canister  fell  around  him  ; 
but  his  courage  was  undaunted,  and  his  coolness 
never  for  one  moment  forsook  him.  He  did  not 
leave  the  hill  until  he  had  gained  all  the  information 
he  desired,  and  then  returned  to  his  companions. 

The  contending  armies  were  disposed  on  opposite 
sides  of  the  Antietam,  the  Federals  on  the  east,  and 
the  Confederates  on  the  west;  Hooker,  supported 
by  Mansfield,  was  on  the  Federal  right,  confronted 
by  Jackson ;  on  the  left,  Burn  side  faced  D.  H.  Hill ; 
in  the  centre,  Sumner,  Franklin,  and  Fitz-John  Por- 
ter, w^re  held  in  reserve,  prepared  to  assist  either 
wing,  with  Longstreet  in  their  front,  but  separated 
from  them  by  intervening  ridges. 

The  action  opened  on  Tuesday  afternoon,  by 
Hooker  crossing  the  creek,  and  gaining  ground  from 
the  enemy,  which  he  held  throughout  the  night,  his 
troops  resting  on  their  arms.  The  contest,  which  had 
lasted  till  after  dark,  was  renewed  at  dawn,  and 
continued  with  great  fury.  Mansfield  had  crossed 
the  stream  during  the  night  to  support  Hooker. 
In  the  morning  Sumner  came  to  his  relief,  and  as- 
sumed command  after  he  was  wounded,  and  Frank- 
lin's corps  followed  to  render  aid.  Jackson  also 
received  re-enforcements  during  the  engagement. 
The  conflict  continued  with  varying  success  through- 


344  ANTIETAM. 

out  the  morning  and  into  the  afternoon,  when,  from 
sheer  exhaustion,  it  was  suspended. 

On  the  left,  Burnside  was  directed,  at  eight  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  to  carry  a  bridge  in  his  front,  and 
possess  the  heights  beyond;  but  no  attention  was 
paid  to  either  this  or  a  second  order,  and  it  was  not 
until  an  officer  was  sent  to  him  with  directions  to 
wait  and  see  that  the  instructions  were  promptly 
obeyed,  that  any  progress  was  made.  The  bridge 
was  then  carried  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  and  a 
halt  afterwards  made  until  three  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon, when  McClellan  had  again  to  send  and  request 
Burnside  to  use  his  utmost  vigor  and  drive  the  enemy 
from  the  heights,  for  that  movement  was  vital  to 
the  success  of  the  day.  Still  another  message  had 
to  be  forwarded,  before  the  order  was  attended  to, 
after  which  the  heights  were  gallantly  taken  posses- 
sion of,  and  a  portion  of  the  troops  even  reached  the 
outskirts  of  Sharpsburg.  By  this  time  it  was  nearly 
dark.  A.  P.  Hill  just  then  arriving  from  Harper's 
Ferry  strongly  re-enforced  the  enemy,  attacked 
Burnside  on  his  left  flank,  and  compelled  him  to  fall 
back  to  a  lower  line  of  hills  nearer  the  bridge. 

During  the  entire  day  McClellan  exhibited  inde- 
fatigable energy,  personally  guiding  the  various 
movements,  riding  to  and  fro,  rallying  first  one 
point  and  then  another,  and  always  inspiring  his 
men  by  his  presence.  As  the  day  was  closing, 
whilst  proceeding  from  the  right  to  look  after  Burn- 


THE  CLOSE  OF  THE  BATTLE.         345 

side  on  the  left,  he  was  met  by  a  courier  from  that 
officer  with  the  message:  "I  want  troops  and  guns. 
If  you  do  not  send  them  I  cannot  hold  my  position 
for  half  an  hour."  Porter's  corps  was  the  only  one 
in  reserve  left  to  the  army,  and  it  would  have  been 
dangerous  to  have  sent  it  to  Burnside's  relief.  Mc- 
Clellan  glanced  at  the  western  sky,  and  then  said, 
slowly :  "  Tell  General  Burn  side  this  is  the  battle  of 
the  war.  He  must  hold  his  ground  till  dark,  at  any 
cost.  I  will  send  him  Miller's  battery.  I  can  do 
nothing  more.  I  have  no  infantry."  When  the 
messenger  was  riding  away,  he  called  him  back. 
"  Tell  him  if  he  cannot  hold  his  ground,  then  the 
bridge,  to  the  last  man !  always  the  bridge !  If  the 
bridge  is  lost,  all  is  lost." 

As  the  light  faded  the  cannonade  died  away,  and 
before  it  was  quite  dark  the  battle  was  over. 

Alluding  to  the  "important  movement"  deputed 
to  Burnside,  McClellan  reports,  if  it  "  had  been  con- 
summated two  hours  earlier,  a  position  would  have 
been  secured  upon  the  heights,  from  which  our  bat- 
teries might  have  enfiladed  the  greater  part  of  the 
enemy's  line,  and  turned  their  right  and  rear.  Our 
victory  might  have  been  much  more  decisive."  Bancroft  L 

The  whole  number  of  Federal  soldiers  in  the  action 
was  eighty-seven  thousand.  From  information  after- 
wards obtained,  the  enemy  was  estimated  at  ten  thou- 
sand more.  The  national  losg  was  12,469,  of  which 
2,010  were  killed,  9,416  wounded,  and  1,043  missing. 
15* 


346  ANTIETAM. 

The  night  was  one  of  anxious  deliberation  to  the 
commander.  He  had  to  review  the  grave  responsi- 
bility whether  it  would  be  advisable  to  renew  the 
attack  on  the  morrow,  or  defer  it,  with  the  risk  that 
the  enemy  might  retire.  After  a  careful  survey  of 
the  situation,  the  condition  of  his  army,  and  the 
strength  and  position  of  the  foe,  he  concluded  that  a 
renewal  on  the  18th  would  be  attended  with  most 
serious  risk.  Orders  were,  however,  given  for  a  re- 
sumption of  offensive  movements  at  daylight  on  the 
19th;  but  during  the  night  the  Confederates  aban- 
doned their  position,  and  retreated  beyond  the 
Potomac. 

At  the  close  of  the  month,  General  McClellan  for- 
warded to  Washington  his  report  of  the  battles  of 
South  Mountain  and  Antietarn,  of  which  the  General- 
in-Chief  remarked,  in  reply : 

"They  were  not  only  hard-fought  battles,  but 
well-earned  and  decided  victories.  The  valor  and 
endurance  of  your  army  in  the  several  conflicts  which 
terminated  in  the  expulsion  of  the  enemy  from  the 
loyal  State  of  Maryland,  are  creditable  alike  to  the 
troops  and  to  the  officers  who  commanded  them. 

"  A  grateful  country,  while  mourning  the  lamented 
dead,  will  not  be  unmindful  of  the  honors  due  to  the 
living." 


CONCLUDING  CHAPTER. 

TTTIIEN  McClellan  reassumed  command  of  his 
troops,  after  their  defeat  under  Pope,  they 
were  so  disheartened  and  disorganized  that  it  was 
positively  necessary  to  reorganize  them;  but  the 
rapid  movement  of  Lee  into  Maryland  left  no  time 
for  this,  and  they  had  to  move  without  delay,  as  they 
best  could.  The  losses  sustained  in  the  sanguinary 
battles  of  South  Mountain  and  Antfetam,  and  the 
exhaustion  of  the  men  from  overwork,  fatiguing 
marches,  hunger,  and  want  of  sleep  and  rest,  how- 
ever, now  rendered  it  imperative  to  recruit  the  army, 
before  it  could  continue  the  campaign  with  any  hope 
of  success.  In  addition,  the  means  of  transportation 
at  McClellan' s  disposal  were  totally  inadequate  to  fur- 
nish one  day's  supply  of  subsistence  in  advance,  and 
consequently  rendered  immediate  pursuit  impossible. 

Maryland  Heights  and  Harper's  Ferry  were  speedily 
repossessed,  and  Pleasant  Valley,  close  to  the  former, 
chosen  as  the  place  of  encampment  during  the  time 
required  for  reorganization  and  obtaining  supplies. 
On  October  1st,  Mr.  Lincoln  visited  the  army  at 
this  place,  and  remained  with  it  several  days. 

In  September  the  President  sent  forth  a  proclama- 


348  CONCLUDING    CHAPTER. 

tion,  in  which  he  declared  the  war  would  be  prose- 
cuted for  the  object  of  practically  restoring  the 
Union;  and  that  on  the  1st  of  January  following, 
all  slaves  within  any  State,  or  part  of  a  State,  then 
in  rebellion,  should  be  free.  This  proclamation 
having  been  officially  published  to  the  army  by  the 
War  Department,  General  McClellan,  on  October 
Yth,  issued  a  general  order,  in  which  he  defined  the 
relation  borne  by  all  persons  in  the  military  service 
of  the  United  States  toward  the  civil  authorities  of 
the  Government ;  and  at  the  same  time  took  occa- 
sion to  warn  those  under  his  command  against  the 
danger  of  undue  vehemence  in  the  discussion  of 
political  affairs. 

Just  as  this  order  appeared,  the  General  had  to 
suffer  a  renewal  of  the  same  spirit  of  carping  he  had 
experienced  at  Harrison's  Landing  and  Alexandria, 
and  was  continued  the  moment  he  moved  from 
Washington  into  Maryland,  but  which,  after  his 
recent  successes,  had  been  for  three  weeks  in  abey- 
ance. He  was  ordered  to  move  at  once  into  Virginia,, 
and  give  battle  to  the  enemy  or  drive  him  South ; 
but  his  men  were  wanting  in  many  of  the  requisites 
for  marching,  and  several  applications  had  to  be 
made  to  the  proper  authorities  before  the  necessary 
supplies  were  forthcoming.  At  this  time,  too,  the 
cavalry  arm  was  inadequate  to  render  efficient  service 
in  an  advance;  so  much  so,  that  on  Stuart,  with 
two  thousand  troopers,  making  a  raid  into  Maryland 


BELIEVED   FROM   COMMAND.  349 

and   Pennsylvania,   it  was   only  possible   to   mount 
eight  hundred  men  to  follow  him. 

In  the  middle  of  October,  the  President,  anxious 
for  an  advance,  but  forgetful  of  its  requirements, 
favored  the  General  with  his  "idea"  how  the  cam- 
paign should  be  conducted,  and  suggested  that  he 
should  try  to  beat  the  enemy  to  Richmond  tl  on  the 
inside  track."  It  was,  however,  near  the  close  of  the 
month  before  the  troops  were  thoroughly  prepared 
to  move.  The  army  then  entered  Virginia,  and  on 
November  7th  "  was  massed  near  Warrenton,  ready 
to  act  in  any  required  direction,  perfectly  in  hand  and 
in  admirable  condition  and  spirits." 

In  the  middle  of  that  (Friday)  night,  during  a  fear- 
ful snow  storm,  McClellan  received  an  order  relieving 
him  from  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and 
directing  him  to  turn  it  over  to  General  Burnside — 
the  officer  who,  by  neglect  of  specific  orders,  whether 
from  timidity  or  incapacity  we  know  not,  prevented 
the  entire  rout  of  the  rebels  at  Antietam,  and  seri- 
ously imperilled  the  National  Army. 

A  few  days  were  required  for  McClellan  to  place 
Burnside  in  full  possession  of  his  plans  and  turn  over 
the  command.  On  Sunday  evening,  all  the  officers 
belonging  to  head-quarters  paid  him  a  parting  visit 
in  his  tent.  The  only  toast  given  by  the  General 
was,  "The  Army  of  the  Potomac."  On  Monday, 
accompanied  by  General  Burnside,  he  visited  the 
several  army  corps  to  bid  farewell  to  the  troops, 


350  CONCLUDING    CHAPTER^ 

when  many  threw  down  their  arras  and  rushed 
from  the  ranks  to  their  late  commander's  side,  ex- 
claiming, in  great  excitement,  that  they  would  not 
allow  him  to  leave  them,  and  intimating,  in  unmis- 
takable language,  that  they  too  well  knew  the  source 
of  all  their  trouble. 

On  Tuesday  morning  McClellan  left  the  army  he 
had  created.  When  he  entered  the  cars,  the  soldiers 
crowded  round  to  give  him  a  parting  greeting.  .As 
he  stood  on  the  platform,  the  standard  bearer  of  a 
Massachusetts  regiment,  a  tall,  wiry  man,  who  stooped 
a  little  in  his  gait,  arrested  his  attention. 

"  You  must  have  passed  through  great  danger  in 
carrying  that  flag,  but  you  don't  appear  to  have  been 
wounded,"  McClellan  remarked. 

"  No,  General,  I  have  not,"  the  man  replied,  un- 
furling his  banner ;  "  I've  carried  this  flag  through  all 
your  battles,  and  forcibly  sticking  the  staff  into  the 
ground  now  that  you  are  leaving  us,  I  don't  care  if  I 
never  carry  it  again." 

General  Burnside  and  staff  entered  the  car  to  say 
adieu,  when  the  parting  was  most  friendly.  At 
Warrenton  Junction,  McClellan  was  called  upon  by 
the  soldiers  assembled  there  for  a  few  farewell  words. 
He  responded : 

"I  wish  you  to  stand  by  Burnside  as  you  have 
stood  by  me,  and  all  will  be  well.  Good-by." 

An  enthusiastic  cheer  succeeded  and  the  train 
moved  on. 


GENERAL    M  CLELLAN    AND   THE   STANDARD-BEARKK. 


FAREWELL    ADDRESS.  351 

Immediately  after  the  General  received  the  order 
relieving  Mm  from  command,  he  penned  the  follow- 
ing address : 

"  OFFICERS  AISTD  SOLDIERS  OF  THE  ARMY  OF  THE 
POTOMAC  :  An  order  of  the  President  devolves  upon 
Major-General  Burnside  the  command  of  the  army. 
In  parting  from  you,  I  cannot  express  the  love  and 
gratitude  I  bear  you.  As  an  army,  you  have  grown 
up  under  my  care.  In  you  I  have  never  found  doubt 
or  coldness.  The  battles  you  have  fought  under  my 
command  will  proudly  live  in  our  nation's  history. 
The  glory  you  have  achieved,  our  mutual  perils  and 
fatigues,  the  graves  of  our  comrades  fallen  in  battle 
and  by  disease,  the  broken  forms  of  those  whom 
wounds  and  sickness  have  disabled — the  strongest 
associations  which  can  exist  among  men — unite  us 
still  by  an  indissoluble  tie.  We  shall  ever  be  com- 
rades in  supporting  the  Constitution  of  our  country 
and  the  nationality  of  its  people." 

The  last  few  days  spent  by  McClellan  with  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  were  days  of  extraordinary 
excitement.  It  was  long  before  the  troops  could 
realize  the  fact, — with  recent  disaster,  resulting  from 
incapacity  in  a  commander,  vivid  in  their  memories, — 
that  the  Administration  could  be  so  utterly  regardless 
of  the  nation's  welfare  as  to  remove  from  their  head 
the  only  General  who  had  shown  himself  thoroughly 
competent  to  lead  them  to  victory.  It  was,  how- 
ever, a  stubborn  fact ;  they  therefore  felt  that  nothing 


352  CONCLUDING    CHAPTER. 

was  now  before  them  but  dire  calamity ;  Fredericks- 
.   burg  stared  them  in  the  face,  and  Chancellorsville 
appeared  before  them  in  their  vision  of  the  future. 

On  Wednesday  morning,  November,  12th,  1862, 
the  General,  with  his  staff,  reached  Trenton,  New 
Jersey,  where  he  had  been  ordered  to  report. 


Here  the  biography  of  George  Brinton  McClellan, 
so  far  as  it  can  at  present  be  written,  ends.  For  the 
past  two  years  he  has  not  been  intrusted  with  mili- 
_  tary  duties  ;  and  the  refusal  of  the  Administration  to 
give  him  the  position  to  which  his  superior  abilities 
entitle  him,  has  naturally  caused  a  large  portion  of 
his  countrymen  to  feel  aggrieved. 

The  public  has,  in  many  instances,  unmistakably 
shown  its  appreciation  of  his  past  services.  On  a 
recent  visit  to  Lynn,  the  citizens,  on  his  departure, 
showered  after  him  the  recognized  emblems  of  good 
fortune.  With  the  patriotic  people  of  Lynn,  the 
author  earnestly  desires — SUCCESS  ATTEND  HIM  ! 


